Different Families
by Jayne Leigh
Summary: A secret Chandler found out when he was younger comes back when he least expects it...changing not only his life but his friends too...how will they cope? CM Please R&R Complete
1. Default Chapter

**Here's a new fic I start ages ago! Please review! **

**Enjoy! **

**Different Families**

18-year-old Chandler Bing sat staring at his mother in shock; he had just graduate high school when she had dropped the bombshell.

"I'm adopted?" He croaked out.

"Yes but no matter what I'm still your mother..." Nora assured, taking his hand.

"What...why...what..." Chandler stuttered, not sure what he was asking. "Who are they?"

"They were my friends from high school..." Nora explained. "They thought they were to young for children we were just out of school... Lenny, you're father... He was going to med school...and your Mother, well she wasn't really the type for kids... but I fell in love with you the moment you were born..."

"Oh my god..." Chandler exclaimed quietly.

"I phone them the other week..." Nora looked down. "They're married now... They said if you wanted to meet them, they would be willing too..."

Chandler remained silence, trying to let everything sink in… wondering what to do next.

2 days later, Chandler stood outside a large house, trying to get the nerve to go and talk to the couple that gave him away. He knocked on the door, quietly, part of him wanted to run but the other part wanted to stay.

"You must be Chandler..." A woman greeted him. "I'm...I'm..."

"You're my Mom's friend, Sandy?" Chandler finished her off, no matter who gave birth to him, Nora was his mom.

Sandy nodded, giving him a small smile, not sure how to feel about his comment...she stepped aside.

All three of them sat around in a large living room in silence, chandler glanced around at the photos of their children...or other children...all girls.

"Chandler, we won't you to know that we've never forgotten about you..." Sandy told him. He just nodded in reply.

"If you need anything...like money for college..." Lenny, her husband started.

"My parents are paying it fine..."

"Of course."

There was silence again.

"You have daughters?" Chandler said quietly... His sisters.

"Yes..." Sandy looked uneasy at her husband.

"Yeah, about that..." Lenny sighed. "We would really like it if they didn't know."

"Oh."

"Its nothing against you..." Sandy said quickly. "Its just they'd never forgive us if they knew..."

"I understand..." He stood up.

"Where you going?" They both stood to.

"I think it's best if I just go..."

"Look, chandler you can still be apart of our life..."

"Just not as a son..." He replied. "Listen, you have children and I have parents, there is no need to mess with that..."

"I guess if that's what you want…" Lenny said.

"Yeah..." He nodded. "I'll see you around..." Without he quietly left the house...left their lives...

**1994**

"They're here...they're here..." Rachel jumped up and down after she buzzed her parents in. They were coming for the dinner to meet everyone for the first time since she had moved in 4 weeks ago.

"Calm down.." Ross told her. "Everything will be fine..."

"Yeah, yeah..." She scanned the room to see if there was anything out of place, her eyes settled on Chandler. "You! Go!"

"What?" Chandler looked up. "What did I do?"

"No, you need to go change!"

"Why!"

"You're wearing a tee-shirt!" She exclaimed. "You need to wear a shirt!"

"Told you!" Joey whispered as Chandler sighed and stood up.

The only reason he knew was because Rachel nearly attacked him with a knife when he walked in earlier with a Knick's sweatshirt on.

After changing and coming back into the apartment, her parents were already there, being introduced to Joey and phoebe. Chandler's mouth dropped open when he saw them.

When Mr and Mrs Green turned around and saw him, they froze.

"What's wrong?" Rachel asked, looking at her parents but not noticing Chandler's expression.

**TBC**

**What do you think? Is it worth continuing? Please review!**


	2. Trusting Her

**Hey, WOW…thanks for all the nice reviews! Thanks to everyone who said they're fans of all my fics…made me feel all nice and loved! Hehehe.**

**Anyway, here's a quick update, cos my friend stood me up tonight! I don't think he's girlfriend trusts or likes me…So here it is, please keep the reviews coming…I love them all! **

**Enjoy!**

**Trusting Her**

"Uh, well…umm…" Her Dad stuttered, not sure what to say.

"Hi, I'm Chandler Bing…" He said, causing everyone to look at him, not realising he had come back.

Dr Green smiled slightly, appreciating what he had just done. Both Sandra and he were sad about Chandler leaving their house all those years ago but they still hadn't changed their minds about their daughters finding out.

"Nice to meet you, Chandler…" He stepped forward, hold out his hand.

Chandler stared at him for a moment, part of him wanted to turn and run out the door, never wanting to see them again but something inside him stopped him. He reached out shook his hand before doing the same with Sandra.

"Okay, lets eat…" Chandler said, trying to sound normal. "I'm starving."

"Hey, isn't that Joey's line…" Monica joked as they all moved to sit down.

Chandler reminded silent whilst they ate, occasionally looking up catching one of their eyes before looking away quickly.

"So, how's working going, Daddy?" Rachel asked.

Her questioned caused to Chandler to look up quickly. _Daddy… Oh god, Rachel was his sister… Rachel Green…the girl his best friend had a crush on…the spoilt girl they all helped when she moved into the city…oh god…_

"Chandler, you okay?" Monica, who was sat next to him asked.

"Uh, yeah…I'm fine…" He replied quickly.

"You sure?" She continued, making everyone stop talking and look at them. "You've gone pale."

"Yeah, man…" Joey added, concerned. "You're shaking too…"

"I'm just tired…. Maybe I should go lie down or something…" He stumbled to get out of his chair, knocking it to the floor.

"You going to be okay?" Monica stood up, grabbing his arm gently.

"Yeah, yeah…I'll be fine…" He stuttered. "Uh, I'll cya you later…"

"What was that about?" Ross questioned, once he had left.

"I don't know…" Monica frowned. "I'm going to go and check on him…."

"Okay, let us know if you need us or anything…" Joey said before she left.

Monica walked straight into the guys' apartment, stopping in the doorway when she saw Chandler downing a bottle of beer.

"I thought you were ill…" She commented, closing the door behind her.

"I'm fine…" He mumbled, placing the bottle down.

"Like I believe that…" She rolled her eyes, taking the empty bottle off the side and throwing it into the trash. "Chandler, something freaked you out in there…"

"It's nothing, Mon…really..."

"Chandler!"

"I don't want to talk about it…" He looked down.

"It will make you feel better…" She said softly, placing a concerning hand on his shoulder.

He let out a small laugh. "I doubt it…"

"Well, why don't you just try and see…" She suggested.

"It's just family stuff…it's not interesting…"

"No, don't do this Chandler!"

"Do what?" He frowned.

"Act as if it doesn't matter…ever since I've known you, you've always acted as if your problems are insignificant to everyone else's…" She took his hand and led him over to the couch, forcing him to sit down. "You've always listened to me talk about my family… its my turn now…"

"Its just… oh god, everything is a mess…" He sighed loudly, putting his head in his hands. "I thought, I was over it…. I really did…"

"Over what?"

He looked up at her, wondering if he should tell her. She was right about him, never talking but he wasn't good at it…. He hardly ever talk about what he was feeling…maybe now was a good time to start.

"Okay, if I tell you this…. You can't tell anyone, okay…no one!" He started.

"Okay, I promise, I won't…"

"Okay…" He hesitated slightly before continuing. "Okay…my Mom…she uh… she…she can't have children…"

"She can't have children?" She repeated, frowning in confusion. "But what…what about…"

"I was adopted…" He cut in, looking down, knowing what she was going say.

"Adopt…Oh…" She stared at him, stunned. "Oh god, did you just find out? Is that why you were acting weird?"

"No…" He shook his head. "I've known since I was 18..."

"Oh…" She said quietly. "Chandler, I don't know what to say…I'm sorry…"

"It's okay…" He shrugged.

"How come you freaked out?" She asked. "I mean, if you've known all this time, why tonight…"

He froze, not knowing what to say…. He couldn't tell her the truth, not yet.

"I uh…I don't know.." He answered. "I guessing something just reminded me…"

"Like what?"

"I don't know.." He avoided her eyes. "Just something…I guess…"

"Oh…" She replied, not sure whether to believe him or not.

"I don't want anyone else to know, okay…" He said again. "I only told you, because I trust you the most…so please, don't tell anyone."

She smiled when he said he trusted her. "I promised you, I wouldn't didn't I…"

"Yeah…" He said quietly. "Thanks…"

"No problem…" She took his hand in hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. They sat in silence for a few minutes; Monica wasn't sure whether he wanted to talk about anymore or not. "So…uh…do you know who they are…. you're real parents… "

"My real parents? My real parents are the ones who brought me up…"

"Oh yeah, right…sorry…" She said quickly. "I meant your birth parents…"

"Yeah…I've meet them…" He nodded, staring straight ahead. "Before my Mom told me, she phoned to warn them…they agreed to meet with me."

"You have?" She looked surprised. "Well, are you still in contact?"

"No, it wouldn't work…"

"How do you know that?"

"Because they've got other kids, now…I've got parents.." He told her. "Why mess with that?"

"Other kids?" She said, looking at him. "You've got brothers and sisters?"

"Sisters…" He corrected her. "I think…"

"You think?"

"Well, they gave me away…"

"But don't you want to get to know them?" She asked. "I can understand you being mad at them for giving you away but they're your sisters…"

"They wouldn't want to know…" He looked down.

"I would!"

"Mon, its just…I can't…" He sighed. "I can't do that to my parents."

"They would understand…"

He closed his eyes and shook his head slightly, not saying anything.

"Is this why you're not close to them?" She questioned. "Is this why you don't talk to them much."

He took kept his eyes closed and took a deep breath, trying to keep hold of his emotion. "I always thought, my Dad knew he was gay but refused to admit because he was ashamed…then one day he couldn't do it anymore so he left…"

Monica stayed silent, not wanting to say anything that would make him stopped. He never talked about his Dad with her before.

"But after I found out…My Mom…she told me, they were never a couple…they were best friends, though….he knew he could never have children because of who he was…and she couldn't have them either…" He opened his eyes and turned to look at her. "They were friends with my birth parents and when they found out that they didn't want me…they decided to adopt me…"

His voice trailed off, fighting to stop tears from filling his eyes. He never cried, he never allowed himself to…When he was a kid he used to get picked on and whenever he would cry, they would tease him…calling him a sissy…saying he was just like his Dad… he didn't want to be like his Dad…. So ever since he refused to cry.

"When he left I hated him for abounding us, thinking he never really want either of us…he just wanted a cover…" He managed to continue. "Then I found out the truth…and I hated him even more…"

"Why?" She asked quietly, re-taking his hand.

"I don't know…" He whispered, looking down at their joined hands. "I think…I think it was because I felt like he got bored with me…like I was some toy that he really wanted one minute then didn't the next."

"I'm sure it wasn't like that…"

"I know…I know it wasn't…" He shook his head. "I pushed him away, all these years I pushed him away and when I realised that this man gave up his whole life for me not just because he was forced to nor because it was the right thing to do…but because he chose to…he chose me… they could have had any baby they wanted but they chose me…but its too late now…"

"No, no it's not to late…" She told him. "He's still your father…"

"Yeah…"

"I know you haven't been the closest the past few years…but he still sends you birthday cards and stuff at Christmas, doesn't he…" She pointed out. "He's still interested…."

"Yeah, I guess, you're right…" He replied. "Thanks, Mon…"

"No problem…" She put her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you for trusting me…"

He didn't say anything back, instead just smiled.

**TBC**

Please review! 


	3. Brotherly Love

**Here's the next part! I love all the reviews! Please keep them coming….Oh by the way…for the sake of this story…Chandler and Rachel never made out during college cos that just ain't right! Anywhoo…**

**Enjoy!**

**Brotherly Love**

"Well, I guess I better get back…" Monica stood up. "You coming?"

"Nah, I think I'm going to hang out here for a while…" He looked down at his hands. "There's some stuff I need to work out…"

"Okay…" She nodded understandingly. "I'll save you some food for later."

"Thanks…" He glanced up, offering her a small smile. "And thanks for listening."

"No problem…" She smiled back. "I'll see you later."

"Okay, see-ya…" He watched her leave.

Monica sighed as she closed the door behind her, she paused before going back into her own apartment…thinking about what Chandler had told her…she couldn't believe it, she couldn't imagine what it must be like to find out something like that. She shook her head slightly before pushing open the door to her apartment, everyone fell silent and looked at her as she walked in.

"Hey, where's Chandler?" Joey asked, concerned for his best friend.

"Oh, he's at your place…" She informed, taking her seat again.

"Is he okay?" Ross questioned.

"Yeah, he's fine…" She assured them. "He's just having some family problems…"

"I wasn't aware he was in touch with his family…" Rachel frowned slightly.

"Maybe that's the problem…" Monica answered, quietly.

Leonard and Sandra exchanged looks that the others failed to notice but they reminded silent.

_**XxXxX**_

"Terry… I… I know that I haven't worked here very long, but I was wondering, do you think it would be possible if I got a 100 advance in my salary?" Rachel asked hopefully.

"An advance?"

"It's so that I can spend Thanksgiving with my family." She explained. "See, every year we go skiing in Vail, and normally my father pays for my ticket, but I sort of started the whole independence thing, you know, which is actually why I took this job."

"Rachel, Rachel, sweetheart…." He started nicely. "You're a terrible, terrible waitress. Really, really awful.

"Ok, I, I hear what you're saying…I'm with you…Um, but I, but I'm trying really hard. And I think I'm doing better. I really do…. " She replied, unsure about his comment. She turned to the customers. "Does anybody need coffee?

Everyone in the coffee house raised there hands, she turned and to look at him. "Oh, look at that."

Chandler, Ross and Phoebe watched as Rachel rushed around the coffee house, trying to get as many tips as she could so she could afford to go on the trip. Chandler couldn't help but feel guilty for not helping her out. She was his sister…. She might not know it…to her, he was just a friend…someone that she hadn't known that long…. But she was still his sister. He sighed loudly; he didn't know what to do. He suddenly had all these feelings, wanting to protect her, look out for her but he couldn't… people would get suspicious and she could never find out…

"Only 98.50 to go…" Rachel claimed, after picking up a small tip a customer had left.

A short while later, Monica and Joey joined them…Monica informing Ross about their parents going away for Thanksgiving and Joey telling them he got a new job as a poster model. Monica had offered to make Thanksgiving dinner, after checking that Joey was going home and inviting Phoebe around, she turned to Chandler.

"And I assume, Chandler, you are still boycotting all the pilgrim holidays…."

"Yeah…" He mumbled, not really paying attention.

"You okay?" She asked, concerned.

"Uh…oh yeah, sure…I'm fine…" He assured her.

"Okay…" She backed off but not totally believing him. "Rach, are you thinking you're gonna make it to Vail?"

"Absolutely. _Shoop, shoop, shoop_…" She told them confidently. "Only a hundred and two dollars to go."

"I thought it was 98.50..." Chandler looked up at her.

"Well, yeah its…I..uh I broke a cup…"

She was never going to make it, he thought…he felt his wallet in the side of his pocket…he was meant to go to the groceries store to get some food in but decided that could wait a few days. He knew he had enough money but he didn't know how to give it to her without her finding out it was from him. He considered just leaving it on a table but then anyone could pick it up and take it.

He sighed and half listen to Ross and Phoebe talking about inviting Carol over for Thanksgiving before Ross left.

"Right, I'm going too…" Monica stood up and Phoebe and Joey followed.

"Chandler, you coming?" Joey asked.

"Uh, yeah I'll be up in a minute…" He told him.

"Well, I've got cups to wash…" Rachel sighed, before heading to the back. "I'll see you later…"

"Yeah…" He nodded, watching her leave. Once she was out of sight, he jumped up and headed to the counter. "Gunther?"

"Want a re-fill?" He asked, picking up a pot of coffee.

"No, no…I need a favour…" He told him, pulling out his wallet. "I want to leave Rachel a tip but I don't want her to know it was from me."

"Why not?"

"Because…. Just because…" He shook his head, handing him a pile off money.

"Wow, you must really like her coffee…"

"Not really…" He shrugged. "Just make sure she gets it okay?"

"Okay…" He nodded. "Uh, but what am I meant to say?"

"I dunno…just say…. Just say some guy you never seen in here before left it…"

"Oh, okay…" He nodded.

Chandler turned to leave but stopped and handed him another 20. "Just in case she breaks anymore cups…"

Chandler joined the others in the girls apartment, feeling good about him-self and even started joking around but putting a turkey on Ross' head so they could test whether or not a baby could hear inside a womb.

"Guys, guys…you're not going to believe this!" Rachel came running into the apartment.

"What?" Monica asked.

"Some guy left me huge tip!"

"Great! So how much do you need now?"

"No, that's the thing…he left me 120..." She held out the money to show them.

"Oh my god!" Phoebe exclaimed. "I need a job a central perk!"

"Who was he?" Monica questioned. "Was he cute!"

"I don't know…he left it with Gunther…" She told him. "Apparently he's a new customer."

Chandler stayed back from the group, watching with a smile on his face…glad to see her so happy.

"Must be pretty flashy if he leaves a tip like that…" Ross mumbled a hint of jealously in his voice.

"Yeah, he must be rich!" Phoebe added.

"I know!" Rachel grinned. "Isn't it great!"

"Yeah, honey…" Monica smiled. "I glad you got your money."

"Me too…I'm going to call my Dad now and let him know I can come…" She told them, picking up the phone. "Daddy….hi…."

Chandler's smile slowly faded as he listened to her talk. Even though he hated them for abounding him and he didn't _want _them to be his parents he still felt a little jealous that Rachel was able to go on holiday with them…

"I've got some work to finish up…" Chandler claimed, heading towards the door. "I'll see you all later."

"Okay, man…" Ross frowned slightly as he left.

"Do you think he's okay?" Phoebe questioned.

"Yeah, he'll be fine…" Joey told them.

"But he's been acting so weird…"

"It's Chandler and it's Thanksgiving…" Joey shrugged. "He'll be fine in a few days…"

_**XxXxX**_

Chandler slung his holdall bag over his shoulder as he stepped out into the hall, coming face to face with Leonard Green.

"Chandler…" He said slowly, staring at him. "How are you?"

"I'm fine…" He answered, looking down at the floor.

"Uh, I talked to that coffee shop guy…" He started. "I was worried about what kind of guy would leave someone over 100 for a tip…"

"Is this important because I have somewhere I have to be…" Chandler cut in.

"He told me it was you…" Leonard stated, before reaching into his pocket and taking some money out of his wallet. "Here, let me re-pay you…"

Chandler stared at the money that was being held out to him. He slowly looked up at him.

"I don't want your money."

"You don't need to pay for Rachel's trip…"

"I know, I don't…" Chandler claimed. "I wanted to…"

"Why?"

Chandler let out a small laugh. "Oh I don't know…maybe I need a good deed for my 'do one good thing a day' class…"

"Just take the money…"

"How do you think Rachel is going to feel if she finds out you paid?" Chandler asked. "She worked really hard to earn that money and she's proud of herself…just leave it!"

Leonard sighed as Chandler pushed past him and walked into apartment 20. He pocketed the money before following him.

"Dad?" Rachel looked at him surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd come and help you with your bags…" He told her, gesturing to the numerous bags at her feet along with her skis.

"Aww, thanks Daddy…" She hugged him.

"No problem, pumpkin…" He smiled; hugging her back he glanced over her shoulder to see Chandler stood glaring at him. "So, I guess we'd better get going…."

"Oh yeah, sure…" Rachel nodded reaching for her bags. "I'll see you guys when I get back…"

"Okay, have a great time…" Monica hugged her.

"I will…" She replied and hugged everyone else goodbye when she got to Chandler, she noticed his bag. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Uh, oh yeah…" He nodded. "I'm going to Vegas…"

"Vegas?" Joey repeated. "Why are you going to Vegas?"

"I'm going to see my Dad…" He told them. "I called him earlier, we got talking…he invited me over…"

"Your Dad?" Ross looked at him curiously.

"Yeah…"

"So, let me get this straight…for years, you avoided everything to do with Thanksgiving because of him and now you've just decided to go down there?"

"I'm not a kid anymore…I can't act like that, I need to grow up…something I should have done a long time ago…"

"No, Chandler…I've seen how all this have effected you…" Ross continued.

"Ross, maybe you should just leave it…." Monica attempted to stop him from continuing, knowing he didn't know the full story.

"No, Chandler I've seen lock yourself in your room during holidays and not come out until they're over…I've seen you burn letter that he's sent without you even opening them…."

"So, what?" Chandler asked. "He's still my father!"

"I just don't want to see you get hurt!" Ross claimed.

"Look, Ross…I know you're only looking out for and I'm grateful, I really am but I need to sort some stuff out with him…"

"But…"

"No…" He shook his head. "There's some stuff that happened, which I blamed him for…but it wasn't his fault…"

"Then who's was it?" Joey joined in, curious to what was going on.

Chandler eyes fluttered to Dr Green for no more then a second.

"It's not important…" He told them. "What's important is that I've gone all these years ignoring my father… hating him when I should have been hating someone else…someone who is really at fault."

There was silence in the apartment; no one knew what to say to that.

"Come on, sweetie…" Dr Green broke the silence, trying to avoid Chandler's eyes. "We'd better get going."

"Okay…" She nodded, she said bye to everyone again before leaving.

"So, I better get going too…" Chandler after a few more minutes of silence.

"Call if you need anything…" Monica moved forward to hug him.

"I will…"

"And I'm glad you're working everything out…" She smiled slightly at him.

"Thanks…" He returned the smile.

_**XxXxX  
**_

A few days later, Chandler returned, happier then ever. His Dad and him had talked a lot, sorted everything out. He told him about Rachel and meeting his birth parents again…he was able to let everything out and his Dad had listen and then give him some advice. He decided that he was going to try and concentrate on being Rachel's friend and not her brother.

It was the day after he got back and was hanging out with Joey and Monica when he started to think about Ross and Monica's relationship, how they use to hate each other and fight when they were kids but now were close friends, relying on each other whenever they need help. He didn't have any of that with Rachel or his other sisters…he hadn't even meet Jill or Amy.

"Chandler…Chandler!" Monica slapped him lightly.

"Huh?" He glanced at her. "What?"

"You weren't listening to a word I was saying!" She looked at him.

"I was…"

"Oh really? What did I say then?"

"Uh…."

"Thought so…" She smiled smugly. "Anyway, I asked you if you wanted to watch a movie or something?"

"Oh, yeah sure…" He nodded, looking and noticed that Joey had left. "Where's Joey?"

"He left about 10 minutes ago!" She looked at him, slightly concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, sure…just thinking…" He nodded.

"About what?"

"Just stuff…"

"Okay…" She stood up and picked a movie before joining him back on the couch. "So, things really went well with your Dad, uh?"

"Yeah…" He nodded. "We talked and sorted everything…next thing is to talk to my Mom about it all.."

"Oh right, when are you going to do that?"

"Well, she's coming by New York in a few weeks…" He told her. "I called her…she's going to be on Jay Leno too."

"Oh my god! That's cool…"

"I guess…" He shrugged, but couldn't help but smile as well. 

"I'm so proud of you…"

"You are?" He looked surprised.

"Yeah, I mean you've handle all this so well…" She told him.

"You didn't see me when I first found out…." He joked. "No, seriously, I want to thank for helping me and keeping it to yourself…"

"No problem…that's what friends are for…"

"Best friends…" He corrected her.

"Yeah, best friends…" She repeated, smiling at him. "And I'm still proud of you."

He was slightly surprised when she leaned up and kissed his cheek before cuddling up to him as the movie started.

"What?" She asked a few moments later, after seeing him watching her.

"Nothing…" He looked to the TV, quickly but tightening his arm which was wrapped around her, pulling her closer to him.

_**XxXxX**_

Chandler looked up when he heard someone come running in…he hadn't really been paying attention before then. He wanted to have dinner alone with his Mom so they could talk about she invited everyone else, who immediately accepted, everyone except Monica who guessed what Chandler wanted but reluctantly agreed to go when it was obvious that they all were going.

He glared angrily when he saw Rachel and Paolo stood there, quite flustered.

"Hi! Sorry- sorry we're late, we, uh, kinda just, y'know, lost track of time…" She weakly explained.

"But a man can change…." Ross stated, gesturing to Nora to pour him a shot of tequila as jealously rose inside of him.

Chandler knew he decided to act only as a friend around Rachel but he couldn't help but hate Paolo, he didn't trust him and it came to the point where all he was doing over dinner was glaring at him.

"Do you have to do that!" Chandler snapped as he watched Paolo licking Rachel's hand.

"Oh…uh sorry…" Rachel quickly pulled her hand away, looking embarrassed.

The others looked confused by his behaviour; he had been acting weird all night. Monica put it down to the fact he didn't want them to be there, he wanted some time alone with his Mom so she decided not to say anything.

They continued to eat their meal, Nora telling them how she writes her books before excusing herself from the table to check her phone messages.

"You okay?" Monica whispered, moving into the seat Ross had vacated to go to the bathroom.

"I'm fine…" He stared down into his glass.

"Look, I'm sorry we ruined your night…"

"It doesn't matter…" He assured her. "It's not your fault…"

"Well, as long as you're okay…"

"Yeah…" He nodded, standing up. "I'm going to the bathroom, I'll be right back."

"Yeah, me too…" Joey stood up too. "Everything okay, man?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" Chandler asked as they walked together.

"No reason, you've just be quiet tonight…" He shrugged.

"I'm fine…" He insisted, stopping dead when he saw them.

"What is it?" Joey frowned slightly before following Chandler's glaze, his eyes widened in shock.

Nora and Ross jumped apart when they heard Joey's voice.

"Oh my god…" Ross mumbled seeing Chandler stood there.

"Chandler…" Nora moved towards him but before she had chance to get to him, he stormed off back to the table.

"Chandler?" Monica asked, when she saw him.

He didn 't reply, he just grabbed his jacket and threw some cash on the table.

"Chandler…" Nora ran up to him. "Please let me explain."

"Explain what?"

"Chandler, man…" Ross and Joey joined the table again. "I'm so so sorry.."

"Honey, it was a mistake…" Nora assured him.

"One night…" Chandler said quietly.

"What?"

"Just one night…" He looked up at her, hurt filling his eyes. "I just wanted one night to talk to you…"

"Chandler…" She whispered, feeling tears burn in her eyes.

He shook his head before turning and leaving the restaurant. Nora waited a moment, wondering what to do before gathering her stuff and following him.

"What the hell was that!" Phoebe asked.

"I need a drink…" Ross mumbled, heading towards the bar.

"Joey, what happened!" Monica demanded.

"Ross and Mrs Bing…" Joey started, slightly stunned by what he witnessed. "Uh, they kind of…"

"They were what?" Rachel asked impatiently.

"Uh, they were kissing…"

"KISSING!" Monica exclaimed, loudly.

"Oh my god!" Phoebe covered her mouth. "Wonder Chandler flipped!"

"Is that what's been up with him lately?" Rachel asked. "Are Ross and Nora having a thing or something?"

"What!" Monica looked at her. "No!"

"Okay, then what is it?" She questioned. "I mean, you do know…don't you?""Maybe but I can't tell you…" She told them, looking worriedly at the door where Chandler and Nora had gone through.

_**XxXxX**_

"I knew you'd be here…" Nora whispered, coming up behind Chandler as he sat on a swing the park.

"Why'd you come?" Chandler asked quietly.

"Because I wanted to explain…" She told him, sitting on the swing next to him. "Because I was worried about you…"

"Why?"

"Why am I worried about you?" She questioned. "Well, because you're my son and because I love you…"

"Do you?"

"What? Of course I do!" She insisted. "Chandler, what's going on?"

"Why did you invite everyone, Mom?" He looked at her for the first time… first spilling from his eyes. "I really wanted to talk but you invite everyone…"

"I'm sorry…" She moved forwards to hug him tightly. "I'm so sorry….I got scared…"

"Scared?"

"When you phone you told me you wanted to talk…. About your birth parents…" She said slowly. "I thought…I thought I was losing you…"

"What?

"You're my baby boy…I can't handle losing you…" She cried. "Not now…"

"Mom…you're not going to lose me…"

"But you said you meet them again…"

"I did…" He nodded. "But not by choose…"

"What?" She frowned slightly. "How?"

"Rachel…. she's uh…she's…she's there daughter…" He admitted quietly.

"Rachel? The same Rachel that…" She started shocked. "Oh my god…"

"She's my sister, Mom…I can't…I can't do anything that will let her know…" He rambled. "And then there is Ross…he's always talking about her and its killing me to hear that kind of stuff about…. And I hate Paolo…. I mean I really hate… I hate this…I hate everything…"

Nora immediately wrapped her arms around him as he broke down; she rocked him back and forwards, whispering assurance that everything would be okay.

10 minute later, he calmed slightly and noticed for the first time it was pouring in rain and they were both soaked.

"Listen, you go home and have a shower and then I'll come straight around once I've sorted some things…"

"What things?" Chandler questioned.

"Oh, I'm just cancel my appoints in Lisbon…"

"What?" He looked surprised. "You can't do that…. Its important…"

"You're most important…" She smiled at slightly. "Now get yourself home before you catch a cold."

"Okay…thanks Mom.." He kissed her cheek.

"No problem, sweetie…"

"Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you…"

She smiled again. "I love you too…"

**_XxXxX_**

When Chandler got back to the apartment, they were all there waiting for him.

"Chandler, are you okay?" Joey asked.

"Yeah, I guess…" He shrugged, tiredly.

"You're soaked!" Monica stated, taking his jacket off him.

"Man, can we talk?" Ross asked.

Chandler looked at him for a moment. "Not tonight…"

"Please, Chandler…"

"No, Ross…." He held up his hand. "I've so much other stuff on my mind…I can't deal with this now…"

"What other stuff!"

"Just stuff…" He answered.

"That informative!"

"I don't tell you anything, okay!" Chandler snapped. "I'm having a shower…. I'd really like to have some time alone for a while…"

With that he stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

Joey sighed. "Can I hang out at your place for awhile…give him some space."

"You sure he should be left alone?" Rachel asked.

"He knows were will be…" Joey shrugged.

They all sighed and headed out…. Giving Chandler the time alone he needed.

Chandler exited the bathroom 30 minutes later to find that he was actually alone.

"Look, man…we really need to talk…" Ross claimed.

"Ross, leave me alone!" Chandler told him.

"No I want to know what's going on with you!"

"It has nothing to do with you!"

"I think it has!"

"Why, just because you play tonsil hockey with my Mom!"

"No, because of Rachel!"

Chandler froze. "What?"

"I knew it…" He stated when he saw Chandler reaction. "Man, I can't believe this!"

"Ross, I don't know what you know or think you know but…."

"I should have worked it out earlier…" Ross continued. "All the looks and glares…. Sticking up for her…. Being nice…"

"Ross…"

"So how long?"

"How long?" Chandler repeated.

"How long have you been in love with her?"

"What!" Chandler felt like laughing. "I'm not in love with her!"

"Oh come on, Chandler…" Ross glared at him. "I know you are!"

"I love her, yes…but I'm not _in _love with her!"

"Admit it!" Ross demanded. "All those times you've told me to get over her…to move it…what was it? Just a plan to swoop in there?"

"What! No!"

"Oh come on…give me one reason why I should believe you!"

"BECAUSE SHE'S MY SISTER!"

**TBC**

Come on, I gave you nice long chapter….with a nice cliff-hanger! You've got to review! Please…


	4. A Different Me

****

Thanks for all the reviews! I love them! So please keep them coming! Sorry about the cliff-hanger…Hehehe…but beware, there are quite a few coming up! Anywhoo

Enjoy!

****

A Different Me

"What?" Ross stared at him stunned.

"Oh god…" Chandler dropped into a chair; he couldn't believe he had just done that.

"She's…. she's your sister?" Ross stuttered. "How is that possible?"

"Ross, you can't tell her…. Please…you can't tell her!"

"Tell her what? That you think she's your sister!"

"She is…." He whispered, looking down.

"How!" Ross didn't know what was going on, he didn't know whether to take him seriously or not. "Chandler, if this is one of your jokes…."

"Its not!" He insisted. "I was adopted…"

"Adopted?"

"Yeah, my Mom and Dad…they went to school with Rachel's parents and they didn't want me so they gave me up to them…"

"Wait…what? So you're her actual brother?"

"Unbelievable isn't it?"

"Yeah…" He said quietly, sitting down. "How long have you known?"

He shrugged, playing with the fabric at the bottom of his shirt. "My Mom told me about them when I was 18 and I went to meet them but it never worked out…."

"So, you've known all this time that you were Rachel's brother?"

"No, no not until they turned up the other week…"

"When you freaked out during dinner!" Ross remembered the night. "I thought they both were acting weird…."

Chandler nodded slightly but still didn't look up at him, he didn't know what to say or do. In a way he was glad someone knows but now he was worried Rachel was going to find out.

"Are you going to tell her?" Ross questioned, breaking the silence that had settled over them.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because there would be no point…"

"Chandler, she's your sister!"

"No, not really…" He sighed. "She doesn't even know about me…. We never do the kind of stuff you and Mon do… and we didn't have a childhood together!"

"But that wasn't your choice…or hers…" He pointed out. "And you can have what me and Mon have…. If you tell her!"

"No!"

"Chandler!"

"No, Ross, I can't!" He stated. "If I tell her then she's going to hate her parents…or she might not even believe me!"

"So, what now? You're just going to pretend you're just friends and nothing more?"

Chandler was silent for a minute, thinking about what he was just asked before he slowly looked up at him. "Yeah…."

"Okay…" Ross sighed loudly. "I won't say a word to anyone."

"Really?"

"Yeah…I promise." He nodded. "So, uh I guess we need to talk about what happened earlier."

"Oh, no we don't…" Chandler claimed, standing up.

"What? Come on, we've got to sort this out!"

"Ross, I really do not want to talk about it, okay?"

"Why not!"

"You kissed my Mom because you've got the hots for my sister and because she was all over some over guy!" Chandler explained. "Would you want to talk about it!"

"No, I guess not…" He replied. "But we're cool right?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it…" Chandler told them. "Just don't do it again!"

"I won't!" He promised.

"Good…and thanks…"

"No problem…." Ross smiled before laughing slightly.

"What?"

"Nothing just thinking about something…"

"What?"

"Well, I like your sister and you like mine…"

"Wait? What?" Chandler stopped him. "I don't like your sister."

"Oh come on."

"I mean, I like her as a friend…"

"Oh, please!" Ross laughed again. "You love her!"

"I do not!" He insisted. "Hang on, a minute ago you were sure I was in love with Rachel!"

"Oh, nah…I just said that hoping you wouldn't get to mad at me if you thought that was the reason behind it…" He admitted. "But your reaction did get me worried slightly…"

"Oh…" He frowned slightly before he shook his head. "Well, I don't love Monica either!"

"Its so obvious!"

"No it is not!" Chandler resisted the urge to stamp his foot.

"Alright, calm down…" Ross laughed again.

"She's my best friend!" He claimed. "And that's it!"

Ross stood laughing and just smiled at him. "Well, maybe that's the best person to love…your best friend."

"Ross…"

"No, hear me out…" He stopped him. "You and Mon tell each other everything, you're always hanging out and stuff…Maybe friendship is the main the key to true love."

Chandler stayed silent, just thinking about that statement.

"Y'know I'd be okay with it…" Ross told him.

"You would?" He frowned slightly.

"I trust you…. I know if you two ever got together it would be because you care about each other not for an alternative motive…."

"Yeah…but I uh…I don't like her like that so…" Chandler said inconvincibly.

"Oh yeah, I know….I was just saying if you did…"

"Which I don't…" He stated again.

"Okay, man…" He smiled knowingly before standing up. "Well, I guess I should head off…"

"Oh right, yeah…" Chandler stood to and following him to do the door. "Thanks, for listening and stuff…"

"No problem…" Ross nodded. "And I promise, I won't tell anyone."

"Great, thanks…I really appreciate it…"

"What are friends for?" Ross gave him a small smiled before turning and leaving. "I'll see you tomorrow…"

"Yeah bye…" Chandler called out before closing the door and collapsing into a chair. _What a night!_

****

XxXxX

"All right, you know Paolo?" Phoebe started to tell Ross and Monica glancing at Joey and Chandler as they headed out for the exit of the coffee house.

"I'm familiar with his work, yes…" Ross replied

"Well, he made a move on me…."

"What!" They all exclaimed, Chandler and Joey forgetting the table they needed to pick up, re-joining them again.

Chandler and Ross exchanged looks as Phoebe informed them all on what happened. Chandler hated feeling like this, he wanted to protect her, make Paolo pay but he knew he couldn't. He had no right to act all protective over her, he made a choice not to get involved in her life as a brother, now he had to live with it.

"Well, you've got to tell her!" Ross told Phoebe.

"What, no! I can't!" Phoebe replied. "She'll hate me!"

"Pheebs, if you don't tell her now then she'll find out some other way…" Chandler added. "Think how she'll feel then."

"You're right!" Phoebe agreed. "Oh but how am I going to tell her!"

"How about we all tell her…" Chandler suggested.

"What about our table?" Joey asked.

"That can wait!" Chandler rolled his eyes. "This is more important."

They all looked at him curiously, noticing the way he changed around Rachel lately. Monica was the first to look away, feeling jealousy rise inside of her. While Joey looked from Ross to Chandler, wondering what would happen if what he was thinking was correct.

"Uh, yeah I guess we can tell her together…" Phoebe nodded.

"Okay, we'll do it tonight…after she finished work." Monica sighed.

"Right…yeah sure…no problem…" The other agreed just in time before Rachel came back other, joining the conversation.

**__**

XxXxX

"Tell her!" Ross said, standing in the guys' apartment with Chandler.

"No!"

"Chandler, you're her brother!"

"No, I'm not…" Chandler replied. "Not really anyway."

"Yes you are, more then you think!" Ross stated, he had watched how Chandler had acted around her over the last week and he knew, no matter how much he tried to deny it, he care about her just as a friend but as a brother.

"Ross, I made a choice to be her friend so that's what I'm going to do!"

"You don't need to stick to it!"

"Yes I do!"

"Why!"

"Because….because to many people will get hurt!"

"Like who?"

"My parents, her parents, her, Jill, Amy!" Chandler listed. "Me!"

Ross was quiet for a minute. "What if you don't… what if everything works out fine."

"Well, it won't will it?"

"How do you know that?" Ross questioned. "Chandler, you've got three sisters who would all probably love a big brother to look after them…"

"And what are they going to say when they find out what their parents did?"

"They have a right to know, if they can't forgive them for it then maybe they don't deserve forgiveness…" Ross replied. "Anyway, I thought you didn't care about them?"

"I don't, I care about Rachel…and Jill and Amy, even though I've never meet them…" He sighed quietly. "I've seen Rachel with her Dad, I've seen how close they are….Why mess with a relationship like that?

"What about having a relationships with siblings…. that's a pretty close relationship."

"You don't get it, do you!" He said frustrated. "They find out who I really am, then I could end up losing everything!"

"No you won't…"

"She'll hate her parents for lying, she'll hate _me _for lying…my parents are already scared I'll ditch them for them…. It's…its just to much to risk."

"Chandler, it might not work out like that…" Ross said softly.

He shook his head slightly, telling him, he wasn't going to change his mind. "At least this way, I'm part of their lives… even if it is just as a friend."

Ross sighed in defeat but before he could say anything Joey came bursting through the door.

"Quick, you've got to see this!" He told them. "Rachel throwing his stuff of the balcony."

Ross and Chandler glanced at each other before following Joey back into the girls' apartment where Monica and Phoebe were trying to discretely look out the window at Rachel and Paolo.

"How's it going?"

"I think we can safely say their over…" Monica commented, just as Paolo climbed back in, leaving Rachel stood out there alone.

Chandler took no notice on him, he continue to stare at Rachel's back as she hugged her arms around herself tightly looking out onto the New York skyline. His little sister was hurting and he needed to do something about it.

He shook his head. _No, not sister! Friend! _

He retuned his attention back to his friends, just as Ross was slamming the door in Paolo face.

"You think someone should go out there?" Joey gestured towards the balcony.

"Uh, yeah sure…" Monica and Phoebe quickly moved towards the window before Ross stood them.

"Maybe…maybe Chandler should go?"

"What?" Chandler's head snapped up to look at him warningly

"Why Chandler?" Monica asked, looking at him quickly before back to her brother.

"Uh, well because he's a guy…." Ross stumbled for an excuse. "And uh, he knows what its like."

"He does?"

"I do?"

"Sure, remember…remember in college…" Ross started. "Remember your girlfriend made a pass at me and I…uh…I had to tell you…remember?"

Chandler glared at him, knowing what he was up to. "Oh yeah, how can I forget that!"

The other three looked from one of them to the other, unsure what was going on.

"Oh!" Phoebe guessed that Ross knew about Chandler's feelings for Rachel and wanted him to go out there to comfort her.

"Pheebs?" Monica looked at her curiously.

"Maybe it would help her if Chandler went out there…. y'know he's a guy…" Phoebe commented. "He can show her that not all guys are like that and that Paolo isn't worth it."

They all stared at her and both Monica and Joey finally caught onto her hint.

"Yeah, maybe that would be best…" Monica reluctantly agreed, trying to ignore the jealousy she was feeling.

"Okay, then off you go…" Phoebe pushed Chandler towards the window.

"Fine…" He sighed, sending Ross an unhappy glare.

"What are you doing?" Joey pulled Ross aside. "It should be you out there! He's going to swoop in and take her!"

"No, he's not…" Ross shook his head.

"Ross, I'm telling you, he likes her!"

"He doesn't…" Ross stated. "He's got his eye on someone else…"

Joey looked at him confused for a moment before following his glaze to Monica.

"Monica!" He exclaimed.

"Yeah?" She looked over at them.

"Uh, nothing…" He smiled innocently, causing her to frown slightly before going back to her conversation. "He likes her!"

"Well, I think so…" Ross replied. "He won't admit it but I can see he does."

"Wow…" Joey replied stunned. "So, uh why did you send him out there to the women you love?

"Because he'll be able to help her…"

"If you say so…" Joey shook his head and walked away.

Ross sighed and glanced out onto the balcony, he was hoping Chandler helping Rachel with her problem would convince him to tell her the truth, he knew deep down it was what he wanted.

Rachel gave Chandler a sideward glance, he had stood there, leaning on the wall of balcony next to her for 2 minutes and still hadn't said a word.

Chandler continued to stare ahead of him, trying to work out what to say to her. He couldn't believe Ross did this to him.

"Just give us the word and me, Ross and Joe will go and knock some scene into him…" He finally managed to break the silence.

Rachel looked at him again, surprised by what he said but smiled, thinking it was one of his jokes.

"Now that would be fun to see…"

"I'm serious…" He told her.

"What?" She looked at him. "No, Chandler! I don't want you guys to get into trouble!"

He shrugged. "Okay, want me to call immigration instead?"

She let out a laugh. "No, I don't want you to anything….I'll be okay."

"Well, okay if you're sure…" Chandler replied, not sure what else to say.

"I am…" She gave him a small smile. "So, you got the short straw then…"

"Actually they thought I'd be the best person for you to talk to…"

"Oh really? Why?"

"I dunno, something about me knowing what its like and be able to show you not all guys are jerks…" He told her.

"I know not all guys are jerks…" She stated. "You three guys have helped me out a lot…"

"Monica made us…" He teased, causing her to laugh slightly. "Hey, I got you to smile!"

"Yeah, I guess you were the right man for the job…" She remarked a few tears forming in her eyes. "I can't believe how stupid I've been…"

"Oh, come here…" He said softly, pulling her into his arms. "You weren't stupid…he is…"

"Why would someone do something like that?" She whispered. "And with my friend."

"I don't know, Rach…" He sighed. "But he's not worth it…you're going to find an amazing guy who will love you and never do anything to hurt you…"

"No, I'm not because I'm swearing off guys!"

"What?" He pulled back slightly and looked at her. "Don't do that just because of one jerk…"

"I'm not doing because of one jerk…" She told him. "It was the same with Barry, I just don't want to go through that again…."

"Well, maybe when you stop looking for love, it will come and find you…"

She was quite for a while. "Yeah, maybe you're right…"

"You know, one day you'll find the right guy for you and everything is going to perfect…"

"I hope so.." She smiled at him. "You really did know what to say…"

"I just said what I felt…" He shrugged, looking down at the ground.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Have you ever been in love?"

"What?" He let out a small laugh.

"Have you ever been in love…y'know proper love, the love that you know will last forever…"

"Uh…I…I don't really know…" He shrugged, seeking a glance at their friends in the apartment, his eyes lingering on Monica for longer then they should have.

"You don't know?" She frowned, not catching him glance.

"Well, maybe…. Maybe I found have been if I would have let myself fall…"

"What does that mean?"

"It means I got scared of what I was feeling so ignored them…" He translated with a small smile.

"Well, maybe its not to late…" Rachel told him. "Maybe you can still tell her."

"Yeah, maybe…" He smiled. "But not just yet…"

"Why not!"

"Well, there's a lot of the stuff happening in my life at the moment…" He explained. "I just don't think it would be fair to her…"

"Maybe she could help you through it…"

"She is…" He smiled. "She knows a lot of whats happening… and she's being my friend…and anyway I still don't know how she feels about me."

"Well, you'll never know until you say something…" She said before heading towards the window. "Come on, let's all watch a movie or something…"

"Yeah…" He said quietly, thinking about what she said before realising he was alone, he shook his head before climbing back inside to join the others….

**__**

XxXxX

It had been 3 weeks since Rachel and Paolo broke up and everything seemed to going well. Ross was excited about his baby, which even took his mind off the crush he had on Rachel, much to Chandler's relief. Rachel was looking for a job that was more challenging then surviving coffee while Joey and Phoebe were the same as normal. Monica and him were as close as ever, always hanging out, talking and just having fun. While Ross was still trying to convince Chandler to tell Rachel the truth about who he was, he found it easier to be around her. Even though he still acted more protective then he use, he was able to move past it all and concentrate on being her friend.

Everything was going great until one night, Rachel retuned from spending the day with her parents….

"Rach, honey... are you okay?" Monica asked, after they all had finished dinner and now were sitting around talking, when she noticed Rachel had hardly said a word.

"Uh, yeah sure…"

"What's going on?"

"I uh…I think my parents are breaking up…" She said slowly.

"What!"

"Why would you think that?" Ross asked.

"Well, they kept fighting…" Rachel told them. "And then when we all left the room, they start fighting again about some guy called Alexander James…"

Chandler looked up at her, frowning slightly.

"You don't remember anyone called that when we were growing up, did you?" She asked Ross and Monica, they both shook their heads.

"Who is he?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know…My Mom kept saying she wished she stayed with him and that she knew what he was like now…" She sighed loudly. "And my Dad, kept saying it's been over 20 years…that he wouldn't care anymore…"

"I'm sorry, Rach…" Monica said sympathetically.

"Maybe its not what you think…" Joey said.

"Yeah…" She looked at Chandler. "What was it like when your parents first started to break up?"

"Uh, well I don't really remember…" He looked down. "I spent a lot of the time trying to ignore…it guess it worked…."

"Well, your Dad cheated on your Mom, right…" She continued, unaware how uncomfortable he was. "Did you notice before or anything?"

"Walking in on him and the pool boy was a big hint…" He tried to joke.

"Oh…" She frowned slightly, unsure what to believe about her parents now.

"Look, Rach my parents would have never worked, they never loved each other…" He told her. "If your parents do, then they should be fine…"

"But what about this guy?" She questioned.

"I bet he's not who you think he is…" Chandler told her. "I bet he just some distant relative or something…"

"I hope so…"

"Well, I better get going…" He said standing up.

"What? Why?" Monica asked, looking at him.

"I've got a early start tomorrow and I'm quite tried, so…" He gave her a small smile. "I'll see you in the morning…"

Ross frowned, watching him leave as the others called various goodnights to him.

"You don't think I upset him, do you?" Rachel asked, once he had closed the door behind him.

"Nah, I'm sure, he'll be okay…" Ross told her. "But I'm going to check on him."

He left the apartment and walked into the guys' to find him pacing around the room.

"Chandler, what was that about?" Ross asked. "Did you know that guy or something?"

"Yeah, kind of…" He said quietly, looking up at him. "That's me…."

****

TBC

Please review and let me know what you think!

**__**


	5. A Party Full Of Surprises

**Thank you all for the reviews! Love them, keep 'um coming! **

**Exintaris- You said about Mondler before London…Not sure either (although there were some scenes but hey) but I simply wanted another complication for Chandler and I like Mondler so… Also about the Ross thing, I'm just so bored of writing him being unsupportive and mean…. **

**Johnnydepp- You said_: You have not added any chapters for a long time. A good writer would continue and not stop. If you don't have the next chapter done yet, split it into two chapters and put the first one up. A lot of people are waiting to read more._**

**Well, a 17 year old college student, who's just started a new part time job recently and has to share a computer with 6 other people and has important exams in less then a month and also has 7 other fics, that people are waiting to read more off…I thought I was doing pretty well with updates! I'm sorry if people feel my ability as a writer is degraded because of pauses between chapters! Oh and a good writer never updates before the story/chapter is finished! **

**Anyway, here's the story! #**

**Enjoy!**

**A Party Full Of Surprises **

Ross just looked at him. "What do you mean, its you?"

"After I meet them for the first time I went home and my Mom told me about it all…" He told him. "She said they gave me up because they wasn't ready and that my Dad and her knew them which is why they were chosen…"

"Yeah okay but what about the name?"

"Alexander James… Alexander means protector, they thought I was sent to protect my Mom and Dad… and James, is supplanter…I was the replacement for the baby my parents couldn't have…" Chandler explained with a sigh. "But my parents already had choose my name, apparently it's an old family name…"

"Yeah but…but Rachel said her Mom was regretting leaving you…." Ross said slowly, his voice trailing off at the end.

Chandler looked up at him. "What am I going to do?"

"Well, do you want to get to know her?" Ross asked. "I mean, as a mother?"

"I already have a mother!"

"So you don't then."

"No, I mean she gave me away…" Chandler stated. "I'm not some toy that they can pick and choose when they want to play…."

"I'm sure it's not like that…" Ross started.

"No, it is…" Chandler claimed. "They made a decision to give me away and that means that they can't change their minds now, to much as happened, to many people could get hurt…"

"Right…" Ross said slowly.

"What?"

"I'm just wondering if you haven't had meet Rachel would you feel different about it…"

Chandler was quiet for a moment, thinking about what he had said.

"I don't know…things might be different…" He answered. "But I am friends with Rachel and I do care about her getting hurt, I also care about my parents getting hurt…"

"But what do you want?"

"It doesn't matter!"

"Of course it does!" Ross sighed loudly. "You've got to stop putting everyone ahead of yourself all the time…"

"What wrong with caring about people!"

"Nothing but you're not always doing it because you care about them…" Ross told him. "You're doing it to keep people at a distance, so you can hide your true feelings…"

"What true feelings!" Chandler asked.

"About Mr and Mrs Green…" Ross replied. "About Rachel, Jill and Amy, about you parents…"

Chandler took a deep breath before continuing. "Everyone's happy…I'm happy…"

"Really?"

"Well, I was until Rachel told us what her Mom said…"

"So, what are you going to do if she comes to you and asks to be part of your life?"

"I'll tell her that I've already got a Mom and that Rachel, Jill and Amy needs her to be their Mom…"

"And you think she'll accept that?"

"She's going to have to…" Chandler shrugged. "It was her decision 25 years ago…. She's got to live with it…"

**_XxXxX_**

Three weeks had passed and nothing much else happened but Ross still watched Chandler carefully. He saw the way he looked out for Rachel like a brother would and he saw how close the pair were getting, a part of him was happy about it but another part was telling him that when the truth came out it was going to be a lot harder on all of them.

"So, Chandler what do you want to do for your birthday, next week?" Monica asked, as they were all sat around in Central Perk.

"Eh, nothing really…"

"Oh come on, it's your birthday!" Rachel stated. "We have to do something!"

"Yeah, man!" Joey added. "We'll have a party! Oh, with a Baywatch cake! And pizza!"

Chandler rolled his eyes but couldn't help a small smile. "Okay, a small party!"

"Yeah!" Joey cheered.

"Small, means small!" Chandler looked at Monica.

"What?" She asked innocently.

"I don't want you to make a big fuss, okay?" He told her. "Just us lot…"

"Oh, can I bring a date?" Phoebe asked.

"Sure…" Chandler frowned slightly. "I didn't know you were seeing anyone…"

"I'm not but a girl shouldn't give up hope!"

"Right, okay…" Monica changed the subject quickly. "So, the 6 of us… plus anyone who wants to bring a date…."

"Sounds good…" Chandler nodded.

"But that's not a very good party!" Rachel moaned. "The six of us hang out all the time!"

"So?"

"So, we should do something big!"

"It's just a birthday…" He shrugged.

"Just a birthday?" She gasped. "How can you say that? Think of all the present you'll be missing out on if you don't invite a lot of people!"

Chandler laughed slightly. "It doesn't bother me…"

"Oh! Lets invite Carol and Susan!" Phoebe added. "They're so much fun!"

"Oh yeah, just what I want, my pregnant ex-wife with her lesbian lover…" Ross said sarcastically.

"Is this your party? Noooooo…" Phoebe answered. "Anyway, Carol went to college with Chandler too!"

"Oh just invite whoever you want!" Chandler cut in.

"HA!" Phoebe said to Ross in triumph.

"This is going to be so much fun…." Chandler said sarcastically.

_**XxXxX**_

Ross walked into the girls' apartment on the night of Chandler's party, with his present in his hands. When he got there, he found everyone had already arrived apart from Chandler himself.

"It's about time!" Monica looked at her brother. "Chandler will be here any minute…"

"Sorry…" He shrugged off his jacket and only noticing an extra guest stood in the kitchen. "Mrs Bing!"

"Hello, Ross…." She smiled at him.

"Uh…oh, Hi….Uh, I haven't seen you since…well uh…" He stuttered realising the night when she was last there. "Uh, well I can't really remember…"

"Sure you do…" Joey joined in. "You two kissed and Chandler caught you, remember?"

"Oh yeah, now I do…" Ross said deadpanned. "Thank you, Joey.

"No problem…" He clapped a hand on his shoulder before going back to talking to Phoebe and Rachel.

"So…um…" Ross started, looking uncomfortable at Nora. "Uh, Chandler is going to be trilled you've came for your birthday."

"I hope so…" She smiled slightly. "I haven't really been there for him before, I've got a lot of making up to do…"

"Well, that's going to be the best birthday present he gets…"

Nora smiled again at him but before she could say anything in reply, Monica joined them.

"I think I'd better warn you…" She started, nervously. "Um, I've…I've invited Chandler's Dad, he should be here any minute…"

"You've invited his Dad?" Joey exclaimed, wide eyed.

"Charles is coming?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I should have told you…"

"Oh don't worry about it dear…" Nora smiled at her. "I'm sure, everything will be fine."

"Really?" Rachel asked surprised. "I mean, Chandler always said you guys were always fighting and stuff…"

"Well, we use to…But some things have changed in the last few weeks…"

"Oh…"

Rachel, Joey and Phoebe looked around at each other curiously. While Monica and Ross avoided their gaze, knowing that Chandler had talk through his problems with both his parents and now had a much better relationship with them.

"Hey, Guys…" Chandler said as he walked through the door.

"Hey, Happy Birthday!" They all shouted and cheered.

"Thanks…" He grinned. "Mom!"

"Hey, Honey…" She moved to hug him. "Happy Birthday."

"What…what are you doing here?" He asked surprised, hugging her back.

"I came to spend celebrate my son's birthday with him…" She told him. "Is that okay?"

He grinned. "It's excellent!"

Everyone sigh in relief, unsure how he would react.

"Here, happy birthday…" Nora handed him a gift.

"Thanks!" He quickly tore of the paper, looking at the box. "A games consol?"

"Well, yeah, you hook it up to your TV…" She explained. "It's got all those games you use to play at the arcades when you were a kid….I thought you might like but if not I can return it…"

"NO!" Joey protested, snatching away from Chandler.

"I love it…" He kissed his Mom's cheek. "Thank you."

"You sure you like it?"

"Of course!" He insisted. "It's got Pac Man!"

Nora laughed slightly and gave her son another hug before letting him go to help Joey set it up.

"Come on, man…" Joey jumped up and down impatiently holding the controller, receiving a glare from Ross who was trying to sort out all the wires and leads.

"Mon, you okay?" Rachel asked, watching as Monica silently started to set out the food.

"Uh-huh.." She nodded. "Uh, its just Chandler's Dad should be here any minute…. And I'm not sure if I made a right choice…"

"Well…." Phoebe started but was cut off by a knock on the door. "…Too late now."

"Uh, Chandler…we…we have another surprise for you…." Monica called over to him.

"Actually it's all Monica's surprise…" Joey said quickly, moving away.

"What's going on?" Chandler frowned. "What is it?"

"Well, open the door and find out…" Monica gave him a gentle push towards the door.

Chandler looked at them all suspiciously before pulling open the door. He hardly recognised the guy stood there, wearing men's clothes and not a bit of make-up.

"Dad?"

"Happy birthday, son…" He smiled., holding out an envelope to him.

"Uh, thanks….thanks…" He stuttered, taking the card and stepping aside. "Come in…"

Charles followed him inside, looking at each other his friends before his eyes rested on his ex-wife.

"Nora…. Hi…"

"Hello, Charles…" She smiled slightly. "You look good, how have you been?"

"I've been okay…" He nodded. "You?"

"Yeah, I've been pretty good…."

"Okay, you guys are being nice to each other…" Chandler stated, looking from one to the other. "You're starting to freak me out."

"Oh stop.." Nora rolled her eyes, slapping him lightly.

"He has a point…" Charles replied. "We did argue a lot…"

"Yeah, well who's fault was that…" She muttered.

"Hey, lets eat!" Chandler said quickly, trying to move on from the conversation.

"Yeah, good idea…" Monica nodded, sighing slightly when she saw Joey already digging into the food.

They all headed over the food, no one really knew what to say so they all just waited for someone else to break the silence.

"So, uh….so you're all friends?" Charles asked.

"Oh, yeah…sorry…This is Joey, my roommate….Ross, who I went to college with…. Phoebe….and Monica…" Chandler introduced them. "And, uh…Rachel…"

"Rachel…" Charles shook her hand last, thinking back to Thanksgiving when Chandler visited him and told him about everything that was happening. "I've heard so much about you…"

"You have?" She frowned slightly.

"Uh, well yeah, I mean all of you…" He said quickly.

"Oh right…" She smiled politely. "Well, its nice to meet you…"

"You too…" He returned the smile before sharing a look with Nora.

The interdictions had broken the ice and everyone started to talk and have a good time. Once everyone had give Chandler his presents, there was another knock on the door.

"Oh, that must be my parents!" Rachel jumped up.

"Your parents!" Chandler repeated.

"Yeah…well…uh, I thought if they went out more together it would help them…" She said slowly. "It is okay, isn't it? I mean, you did say to invite whoever…"

"Oh yeah…" He replied quietly, as she opened the door. He grabbed Ross and pulled him aside. "Was this your idea!"

"What?" He exclaimed. "Of course not!"

"Well, you were keen on the truth coming out!"

"Yes, but I know only you can make that decision, I wouldn't go behind your back!"

Chandler thought about it for a minute. "You're right, I'm sorry…"

"It doesn't matter…" Ross answered, looking at him concerned. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Uh, I don't know…" He replied honestly. "But only one way to find out."

Ross sighed as he watched Chandler walk back over the join the rest of the group as Rachel was introducing her parents to Chandler's…all of them pretending they didn't know each other.

"Chandler…" Sandra cleared her throat slightly. "Happy birthday…"

"Thanks…" He mumbled, taking the controller off Joey and started playing, causing everyone to look surprised at his actions.

"They've brought you a gift…" Rachel told him.

He looked up from the TV at them. "You didn't need know, I mean I don't really know you…"

"Yeah but you're Rachel's friend…" Leonard held it out to him.

Chandler sighed and took it from him, slowly opening a small rectangular box, to see 3 courtside tickets to The Knicks' next game.

"Knicks' ticket!" Joey exclaimed. "Oh! Chandler take me…take me, please!"

"I can't accept these…" Chandler tried handing them back. "It's too much."

"No, please we want you to have them."

"Yeah, come on man!" Joey pleaded.

"Okay, okay…fine.." He said in defeat. "Thank you, it's very generous…"

"You're welcome…"

Mr and Mrs Green followed Rachel into the kitchen while the others started to play on the game again.

"Dad, you want a game?" Chandler called out, not failing to notice that Dr Green glanced over at the same time of Charles, who also noticed.

"Uh, y'know….I think I need a smoke, so…so I think I'll just…" Charles gestured to the balcony before climbing through the window.

Chandler watched him for a moment before handing the controller to Ross and joined him outside.

"Hey…" 

"I thought you were playing…" His Dad looked at him.

He shrugged. "I thought I'd come and see if you're okay."

"I'm fine…"

"Yeah, you look it…"

"Just surprised to see them here, that's all.."

"Tell me about it…" Chandler mumbled in reply.

"But I'm not going to get in your way…"

"What?"

"Well, you have every right to get to know them…" He continued. "I understand that…. I'm stepping aside."

"I don't want to get to know them!"

"Chandler, he's a doctor, they live near, they other children…your sisters…" Charles started. "I can't compete with that."

"No one is asking you to!"

"Y'know I remember that day you were born….Me and Nora was waiting for hours and then a nurse came out to tell us you were a boy and healthy and everything went fine…" Charles told him. "Then we were allowed to see you, I watched as Nora held you, all her dreams coming true and then you were passed to me….and…and I'm promised you that no matter what I'd always be there for you but…but I broke that promise…"

"Dad…" He tried to cut him off but he continued.

"I abandoned you when you were just a kid…" He sighed. "Maybe you would have been better off with them after all…"

Chandler just stared at him, his last comment hurting him. He turned and quickly climbed back into the apartment.

"Chandler, wait!" Charles suddenly realising what he said a followed his son.

"Hey, Chandler…look I got the high score…" Monica said, but frowned when she saw him. "You okay…"

"Fine…" He mumbled, heading for the door.

"Chandler?" His mother stopped him, concerned.

"Chandler, wait…" Charles finally managed to get back in. "I didn't mean that…"

"Yes you did…" Chandler glanced at him before pushing past his Mother and friends and leaving the apartment.

"What have you done!" Nora glared at him before following her son.

**TBC**

Please review and let me know what you think! LaterZ! 


	6. Friendship Is Best For Now

**Haha, come on, who really thought I'd stop writing to revise for exams! Okay, maybe this wasn't the best idea, my exam is in an hour and a half…oosp…ah well….Anywayz, I'm so happy…not only have I've managed to update this fic but I've been Nominated in The Merge Awards! YAY Me! Well, thanks for all the reviews! Please keep them coming! **

**Enjoy!**

**Friendship Is Best For Now**

"What's going on?" Joey asked aloud breaking the silence that took hold of the apartment after the door had slammed shut behind Nora.

"I've messed up again…" Charles mumbled, running his hand through his hair.

"I'm sure everything will be okay…" Ross said slowly. "Maybe you should wait for Chandler at his place…. Then you can sort everything out…"

Charles thought about it for a moment before sighing. "Yeah, okay….I guess…."

"I'm going to see if I can find Chandler…" Monica added, once Ross and Charles had headed over to the guys apartment.

"Wow, what a party, uh?" Phoebe commented.

"I know but what did you expect from putting Chandler in the room with both his parents…" Joey replied, turning back to the game.

"Don't they get along?" Sandra question, earning herself a slight glare from her husband.

"Well, Chandler okay with his Mom…they're not that close…" He told her. "But I don't think he's ever really forgiven his Dad for walking out on them when he was 9..."

"He walked out on them!"

"Uh…yeah…"

"Oh that poor boy…." Guilt started to wash over her.

_**XxXxX**_

Monica knew Nora had gone to find Chandler but she also knew straight away where he would have gone and she doubted Nora would think to look there.

"Hey…." She said, stepping onto the roof of their apartment building, seeing him; leaning on the small wall around the edge.

"I've gotta find a new hiding place…" He quipped quietly.

"I can go if you want some space…" She started.

"Nah, you're okay…." He gave her a small as she moved to stand next to him.

"Are you okay?" She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I guess…." He took a deep breath. "Just….just everything got a bit too much…"

She nodded slightly. "I'm sorry…"

"What for?"

"I shouldn't have invited them both without checking with you first…"

"No, Mon…it's not your fault…" He turned to face her fully.

"I still should have checked…" She claimed. "I ruined your birthday…"

He simply put one around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

"It was the best birthday I've had in years…" He assured her.

"Yeah right…"

"I'm serious…" He stated. "I normally hate my birthday and never want to do anything but this year I had my friends around me and my parents…"

She looked up at him for a moment. "You seriously had a good night?"

"Yeah…" He shrugged. "Well, until the end…"

She was quiet for a moment, waiting to see if he would continue.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked once she realised he wasn't going to.

"Not really…"

She gave a small nodded, knowing not to push him into anything.

He sighed after a few seconds of silence. "It's nothing, really…I just overreacted…"

"Well, I'm sure you had a good reason…"

"He had I would have been better off with my birth parents…" He continued to stare up at the stars.

"Oh…." She replied quietly, unsure what to say to that.

"I just don't get…"

"Get what?"

"All of this….I never asked for any of this…. As far as I know I've done nothing to deserve this…" He moved away from the wall and began to walk around the rooftop. "I was happy with how things were….and it all got messed up….just when I think I've managed to get things sorted again…it all crashed down again…"

"Hey….it'll be okay…" She stopped him from pacing, making him look at her. She had never seen that look in his eye before, he look so lost.

"I just want to be happy…" He whispered. She simply wrapped her arms around him tightly and held him, just like he did when she was upset.

_**XxXxX**_

Ross walked into the girls' apartment the next morning, he had spent the night over at Joey and Chandler's, waiting for him to come back but he never. Around midnight, his parents had given up waiting, assuming that Monica was with him when she never returned either.

He headed towards Monica's room to see if she was there when he noticed two sleeping figures on the couch. Chandler's upper body was stretched across half of the couch, whist his feet were on the floor and Monica was curled up against him, her head resting on his chest and a arm draped across his stomach.

He glanced up when he heard the door to Rachel's room open. She appeared, her hair slightly tangled and still in her pyjamas. She stretched out her arms as she yawned but stopped suddenly when she noticed them to.

She looked up at Ross who gave her a small smile and shrugged slightly.

"Give me a few minutes and we'll go out for breakfast…" She whispered, not wanting to disturb them.

"Okay…" He nodded as she turned and went back into her room.

As they were head out of the apartment, they ran into Joey who invited himself along so they decided they would stop at Phoebe's so that no one would wake Monica or Chandler up.

"So, what's going on with them?" Phoebe questioned the others as they walked down the street.

"I don't know…" Joey shrugged. "Chandler hasn't said anything to me about it…"

"He'll deny it…" Ross stated. "I told him I'd be okay with it but he still refused to admit it."

"You'd really be okay with it?" Rachel looked at him, in surprise.

"Well, yeah…" He nodded. "I mean, I know he would look after her and everything…and as long as they were both happy."

"Aw! They'd make such a cute couple!" Phoebe claimed.

"Yeah and they're like best friends….that's the best person to fall in love with!" Rachel added.

"See they're perfect for each other!" Phoebe jumped up and down.

They found a small café and Phoebe and Joey had gone to see what food they had, leaving Ross and Rachel at the table alone.

"So, did you really mean that?" Ross started. "About falling in love with your best friend…"

"Well, yeah….I think one of the main factors in love is trust…" She explained. "And everyone trust their best friends….plus you'd already know a lot about them…"

"So…um…uh…who's your best friend?" He asked nervously, looking down where he was playing with the end of the tablecloth.

She watched him for a moment, a small smile on her face. "Well, I guess you guys…"

"Oh…" He nodded, still not looking up. "Uh, maybe….um… we could go out for dinner sometime…"

"I don't know…" She said slowly. "Is this like that time when I first moved in when you did nothing about it…"

"Uh…well…." He looked up finally. "How about tomorrow night?"

She smiled again and gave small nod. "Okay…"

_**XxXxX**_

"Hey…" Ross said as they all walked into the apartment, he glanced around seeing Monica sat alone at the kitchen table. "Where's Chandler?"

"He's gone to see his parents…" She told them. "Where have you all been?"

"We went out for breakfast…" Rachel sat down next to her at the table. "We didn't want to disturb you guys…"

"Disturb us?" She repeated.

"Yeah, you guys looked so cute…" She grinned, making Monica roll her eyes.

"Did you guys have fun last night?" Joey asked suggestively.

"We talked!" She stated. "He was upset about things…"

Ross frowned slightly. "He is okay, though?"

"I hope so…" She said quietly, looking down at the table.

"What's going on?" Joey asked, concerned for his best friend.

"Nothing…" Ross started.

"It's not nothing…" Joey cut him off. "There's something wrong with Chandler?"

"No, Joe…its just….just family stuff…" He told him.

"What stuff?"

"Look, I can't really say….I'm sure everything will be okay…" Ross replied.

Joey looked between the brother and sister and then to Rachel and Phoebe, both shrugging to tell him they knew nothing either but sighing in defeat and heading towards the couch, deciding to talk to Chandler himself.

_**XxXxX**_

Chandler had been sat in Central Perk for over an hour, alone. He had spoken to his parents…. His Dad had apologised for what he had said and now both of them where gone. His Dad, returning back to Vegas and his Mom back to her tour…both promising to call.

"Chandler?"

He turned when he heard his name and was faced with someone he wasn't expecting.

"Uh…Hi.." He said slowly. "Rachel's not here…"

"I know…" Sandra Green moved to sit next to him. "I came to see you…"

"Me?" He looked at her. "Why…why would you want to see me?"

"I think, it pretty obvious…" She stated.

"Look, I don't think this is a good idea…" He started.

"Please…5 minutes…" She asked. "I just want to talk…"

Chandler thought over the option, not knowing what would be the best idea.

"Okay…." He reluctantly agreed. "But not here…"

"Okay, how about that coffee place a few blocks from here?" She suggested.

"Fine…" He nodded. "I'll see you there in 10 minutes…"

"Okay, than you…" She gave him another smile before heading towards the exit.

Chandler sighed and slumped back against the couch, running his hands over his face and wondering how long he'd be able to keep doing this to himself.

He slowly made his way to meet her, his mind coming up with all sorts of questions why she wanted to talk to him. When he walked in, he saw her sat in the corner. He paused at the door, glancing around the rest of the room before moving towards her.

"I thought you might have changed your mind…" She greeted him with a smile, noticing he was a few minutes late.

"I'm hear now…" He stated, sitting down. "What's this about?"

"I want….I just wanted to talk…"

"About what?"

"I don't know…" She looked down at the table. "I just want to get to know you…"

"Why?"

"Because you're my son…"

"No, I'm not!" He shook his head.

"Please…I know I don't deserve your forgiveness…." A few tears appeared in her eyes. "But you got to believe me when I saw, I've always regretted that day…"

"Which one? The day you gave me away or the day I turned up at your house and you rejected me again…."

"Both…" She told him quietly. "I wish I could go back and change what happened."

Chandler watched her for a moment, unsure what to say or do when a waiter wondered over to take their order. He was slightly relieved at the interruption but then once again he was gone, leaving the pair alone again. Sandra watching Chandler closely, waiting for his response.

"I do…don't know what to say…" He admitted quietly.

"Is there any chance that I could get to know you?"

"I don't…I don't know…"

She moved her chair closer to the table and reached out, placing a hand on his cheek.

"You're so handsome….you look just like your Grandfather…" She whispered.

Her words made him flinch away from her touch, pushing his chair further back.

"You didn't know my Grandfather…" He looked down at his hands in his lap.

"I meant…" She started but he cut her off.

"This was a bad idea…"

"No, Chandler please…I'm sorry…" She stood up when he did.

"Look, this could never work out….you're one of my best friends' Mom…" He claimed. "If she…if she ever found not only would she hate you for lying to her but she'd also hate me…"

"You don't know that…"

"Yes, I do…" He replied. "So, why don't you just concentrate on her and your others daughter and forget about the kid you gave away 25 years ago…"

With that he turned and walked out as fast as he could, not daring to look back at her.

_**XxXxX**_

Chandler glanced into Central Perk as he passed, seeing his friends sitting around laughing and joking. He sighed, he wasn't really in the mood and knew if he want in, they would all notice something was wrong. Instead he decided to go to his apartment and finish off some work for a presentation he had to do next week. Just as he was about to open the door to his apartment, he heard the door to the girls' apartment open. He turned around and was faced with Monica.

"Hey…" She smiled at him, before frowning. "Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah…"

"Chandler?" Not believing him.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I saw her…"

"Who?"

"Her…my….my birth Mom…"

Monica's mouth dropped open slightly. "Oh my god…Well..uh…what…what did she say?"

"Uh, can…can we…" He gestured to her apartment.

"Oh yeah, sure…" She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside. "Are you okay?"

He removed his glaze from the floor to her before replying honestly. "I don't know…"

"Oh come here…" She wrapped her arms around him. "It'll be okay…"

"She's not my Mom…" he whispered.

"What?" She pulled back to look at him confused.

"No matter what she says….she's not my Mom…" He told her. "She'll never will be…I have a Mom…"

"I know…" She gave him a small smile, before kissing his cheek softly.

Chandler watched her, still holding her close, neither of them spoke…they just stared at each other. He saw her leaning in slowly but stop when their lips were millimetres apart. A small smile tugged at his lips as he closed the gap between them…the kiss only last a few seconds before he pulled back to look at her, making sure she was okay with it. He smiled again when he saw her eyes was closed, he pressed his lips against hers again, this time harder as she looped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer.

His hands travelled up her back and into her hair as he deepened the kissing, forgetting everything else that had happened, just getting lost in the kiss. He heard her moan as he left her lips and moved to her neck as his hands slowly moved back down her back and then slip under her shirt.

"I knew it!" They jumped apartment and turned around to see their friends stood staring at them.

"Umm…uh…" Chandler stuttered, shooting a look at Monica who wore the same expression as him.

"Are you two together now!" Phoebe asked, jumping up and down excited.

"Uh…well…" Chandler started before sighing. "Can you give us a minute…"

"Yeah baby!" Joey cheered, earning himself a glare from Chandler.

"We're just gonna talk…"

"If you say so…" Joey replied.

"Alright, come on…" Ross grabbed Joey's arm and pulled him out of the apartment.

Chandler took Monica's hand and led her to the couch, sitting down next to her and turning to face her.

"Mon…" He started.

"This is going to be one of those conversations…" She cut in. "It's not you, it's me…"

He was quiet for a moment. "I can't be in a relationship at the moment…"

"What?"

"What we have…its…its different….I know what we have would be special…"

"So, what's the problem?"

"I'm not in the right place…" He told her. "I really, really care about you which is why this is not our time…"

"Well, maybe it'll be okay…"

He shook his head. "I don't want to risk….when we get together I want to be able to focus on that…just us….. I can't do that now…I have so many other stuff to deal with…"

"I could help you with it…" She stated, taking his hand in hers.

"I know you can…that's….that's why I want your friendship…" He said softly. "Mon, you're my best friend….I need you….and maybe…maybe when this is all over we can be something more…but I don't want to ruin it with all of the other crap I'm going through…"

She was quiet for a moment before answering. "Okay…if that's what you want."

"I hope you understand…"

"I do…" She gave him a small smile. "And I'm willing wait for you…"

"Mon, I don't want you to put your life on hold for me…." He was mid sentence when she pulled him towards her, kissing him deeply.

"I will wait….." She whispered, leaning her forehead against his.

He smiled slightly and gently brushed his lips against her one more time before standing up. He paused at the door and looked back her, giving her another smile before leaving.

**TBC**

**Please review and let me know what you think. **


	7. Always Be Him

**Here's the next part… sorry it took so long, I've had writers block (I hate it!) Anywayz, that's for the reviews…keep them coming!**

**Enjoy! **

**Always Be Him**

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Rachel stated. "The four of us never hang out!"

"Maybe because there are six of us altogether…" Chandler rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, but we've all known each other longer…" She replied.

Chandler sighed. "Rach, Monica and I don't need any help getting together, okay?"

"So, why aren't you together then?" She folded her arms.

"Because its not the right time."

"Oh come on! You two are crazy about each other!"

"We're best friends!"

"Which is why you would be perfect together…" She exclaimed. "Look, at me and Ross!"

Chandler rolled his eyes again, Ross and Rachel had been dating for about a month now and things were going great for them.

"Come on, please…" Rachel begged. "It won't be a date! Just the four of us hanging out!"

"Alright, fine!" He sighed in defeat. "If Mon wants to go then I'll go…"

"Great!" She grinned. "I'll go tell her!"

"But I'm serious, this is not a date!" Chandler called after her but only got the door closing as a reply.

He dropped back down into his barcalounger; the past month had been quite eventful. Ross and Rachel had gotten together but she still oblivious to who Chandler really was. Also Rachel's parents had announced they were getting a divorce... Rachel was stunned by it. She knew her parents had been arguing but she didn't realise it had gotten that bad. Sandra tried her hardest to get to know Chandler but once he heard the news of their split up, he came to the conclusion it was down to him and avoided her, refusing to have anything to do with her. Ross kept urging him to tell Rachel who he really was but he still refused and Monica even thought it was a good idea for him to get to know his sisters, even though she didn't know who they actually were. As for his relationship with Monica, there were no new developments. They were still best friends and were closer then ever but despite their friends efforts that was all there was…friendship.

"Hey, man…" Joey walked in, handing him a bunch of letters. "Here's your mail…"

"Oh, thanks…" Chandler took them, sorting through them. He opened one, frowning slightly when he saw it was from Sandra.

"You okay?" Joey asked, looking at him.

"What? Oh, yeah…yeah sure…" He nodded, screwing the paper up and shoving it into his pocket.

"Who was the letter from?"

"Oh, no one important…" Chandler claimed, turning to head into his bedroom. "Well, I gotta get ready…."

Joey frowned, watching Chandler disappear behind the door. He sighed; he knew there was something Chandler wasn't telling him.

_**XxXxX**_

"How did last night go?" Phoebe asked, Ross and Rachel as they sat around the kitchen table while Monica was making breakfast.

"It was fun…." Rachel shrugged. "But they're still insisting they're just friends!"

"Okay, we've tried it your way, now we try it my way…" Phoebe replied.

"What's your way?" Ross asked, curiously looking at her from behind his paper.

"Spike their drinks and lock them in a room all night…."

Before anyone could answer Chandler and Joey wondered in.

"Will you drop it!" Chandler snapped at his roommate.

"I want to know what's going on?"

"Why!"

"Because you're my best friend!"

Chandler sighed and sat down. "Joe, just forget it, please…"

"What's going on?" Rachel asked, as everyone else stopped what they were doing to look at the pair.

"Nothing…" Joey answered. "Apparently."

"Chandler?" Rachel looked at him questionable.

"Its nothing…" He stood up again. "I've gotta go…"

"Where?" Joey asked.

"Work!" He replied, hotly. "Y'know, that place you go to and then they give you money…"

"Wait…no you're not going until this is sorted…" Phoebe stopped him.

"Yeah, come on, tell us what happened?" Rachel added.

"All I want to know is why Chandler's been acting weird lately…" Joey explained. "But he won't tell me!"

"Because it doesn't concern you!" Chandler exclaimed.

"We're meant to be best friends!" Joey replied.

"We are!"

"Then how come you can tell Ross what's going on but not me!" He raised his voice slightly.

"I didn't mean to tell Ross!" Chandler stated. "It just came out!"

"But you still told him!"

"Joe, just leave it, yeah?" Monica said softly.

"No! I wanna know why he won't talk to us about it!"

"Because talking doesn't always work!" He exclaimed before lowering his voice again. "I just want to forget about it!"

"I thought we were friends…" Joey said quietly. "I thought we could tell each other everything…"

"Yeah well be a friend and back off…" Chandler mumbled before turning and leaving.

Monica sighed and looked at Joey. "Just give him sometime, okay?"

"I'm guessing you know too, then…"

"Yes…" She replied. "But I'm not telling you anything…"

"Alright, fine…" He jumped onto a chair and stared at the glass of orange juice in front of him.

Everyone looked around at each other, before slowly going back to what they were doing. Rachel suddenly felt guilty, over the last few months, her and Chandler had become close friends but she had failed to notice him acting different. Maybe she didn't know him as well as she thought she did.

_**XxXxX**_

Chandler quickly turned to his computer screen and started to type in data when he heard a knock on the door. He glanced up when he heard it open; his typing slowly when he saw it was only Monica.

"Oh, hey…" He looked back at his screen.

"Hey…" She closed the door and moved to sit in the chair opposite him. "You okay?"

"Sure…" He nodded, refusing to look away from his work. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, that fight with Joey earlier…" She stated.

"Oh, that was nothing…"

"Chandler."

He sighed and finally turned to her. "I'm fine, Mon…honestly."

"Y'know I'm always here for you to talk to, right?"

"I know…but I'm sick of talking!" He claimed.

"You really think forgetting about it will help?" She asked, softly.

"The sooner I forget, the sooner I can move on and everything can go back to normal!"

"Maybe forgetting isn't what you need to do to move on…"

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe you need to talk to them, properly…" She suggested. "Find out everything that happened and why…"

Chandler was quiet for a moment, thinking about what she was saying.

"But it's your decision…" She added, standing up. "I've gotta get to work, I'll see you later?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah sure…" He nodded. "See ya…and Thanks…"

"No problem.." She turned and smiled at him. "Bye…"

"Bye…" He sighed loudly and put his head in his hands when he heard the door close behind her. He knew he had to do something, sort the mess out before it got much further…he didn't know how much he could handle.

_**XxXxX**_

"I can try and get the day off…" Ross told Rachel as they came out of her bedroom, the next morning.

"No, its okay…" She sighed and sat down at the table with the others.

"What's going on?" Monica asked.

"It Amy's gradation today…."

"And?"

"And both my parents are going to be there…." She explained. "I just know they're going to start arguing."

"I'm sorry, Honey…" She gave her arm a reassuring squeeze.

"Can any of you make it?" She asked them.

"Sorry, I got work…" Monica told her.

"Me too…" Phoebe added.

"And me…"

Everyone turned to look at Joey slightly surprised.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing….just..uh…you working?" Ross replied.

"Yeah, I got this part on a commercial…" He grinned proudly. "I thought I told you all…"

"No but that's great, Joe…" Rachel smiled and the others agreed.

"Thanks!"

"So, Chandler how about you?"

"How about me what?"

"You busy today?"

"Me?" He looked uneasy.

"Yeah…you'd be a great help!" She insisted. "I mean, you've been through all this and you've really been helping me with it…"

"I don't know…"

"Please…"

"Uh, haven't you got that big meeting today…." Ross cut in, seeing the 'trapped' look on Chandler's face.

"Oh right…" Rachel said slowly. "Okay, never mind…"

"I'll go…" Chandler said after a few seconds of silence.

"What?"

"If you really want someone to go with you then I'll go…"

"Really!" She grinned and hugged him. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome…" He smiled slightly and gently hugged back.

"Oh, I gotta get ready!" She jumped up and ran to her room.

"Any reason to get out of work…" Monica joked, looking at him.

"Yeah, something like that…" He stood up. "I better call in sick…"

Ross followed him over to his apartment; he waited for Chandler to finished on the phone.

"What are you doing?"

"Rachel asked me to go…"

"But I thought you didn't want anything to do with them…"

"I'm not going for her parents…" He rolled his eyes.

"Then why are you!"

Chandler sighed and dropped into a barcalounger. "I don't know…Closure?"

"Closure?" Ross repeated, frowning.

"Yeah… I need to get past all this…. but I don't think I'll be able to until I've tied up some loose ends."

"You're going to talk to them?"

"No…" He sighed. "I think before I can move on, I need to meet Jill and Amy."

"What!"

"Technically they're my sisters…" He tried to explain. "I've got to meet them at sometime right?"

"Yeah, well…"

"And better to do it now when I'm expecting it instead of one of them turning up to visit Rach or something and me freaking out about it…"

"But you really think this is going to help?"

"I don't know…" Chandler replied honestly. "But there's only one way to find out."

"What about after?" Ross continued.

Chandler was quiet for a moment. "We'll just have to see…"

_**XxXxX**_

"I'm going to talk to my Mom…" Rachel told Chandler when they were at the graduation party. "I won't be long…"

"Okay…" He smiled slightly, looking down into his drink she walked away.

"You seen Rachel?" Amy appeared by his side a minute later, looking annoyed.

"Yeah, she's just talking to your Mom…" He told her.

"Okay…" She sighed loudly before looking at him. "Hey, you're not the geek she's normally with!"

Chandler laughed slightly. "No, I'm Chandler…a friend."

"A friend?" She question with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, I live across the hall from her…" He told her.

"So, why are you here?"

"She wanted someone with her…" He shrugged.

"Because of my parents divorce?" She guessed.

"Yeah…."

"You must be good friends…" She said quietly.

"Yeah, we are…" He nodded. "And anyway, my parents divorced when I was a kid, so I know what's its like."

"Really? So, will get better right?" She asked. "It's not always going to be like this…"

"Depends by what you mean by that…"

"I mean, my parents aren't going to stand and argue every time they're in the same room!"

"Well, maybe…"

"Maybe!"

"Yeah, everyone is different…" He told her. "It might be easier once the divorce is final…."

"I guess…" Amy sighed. "Do you parents still argue…"

"Uh, well… I don't really see my parents much…"

"Oh, sorry…"

"Don't worry about it…" He smiled slightly. "But like I said, every divorce is different…so I wouldn't worry so much about it…"

"What was it like for you?"

"Well, to start with my Dad was gay and slept with the pool boy then moved to Vegas…" He stated, before laughing nervously. "I can't believe I just told you that…"

"Your Dad's gay?" She stared at him.

"Uh, yeah…" He nodded, looking around hoping Rachel would come over and rescue him.

"Wow…I guess that's why they divorced then…" She replied. "At least you know the reason behind it all…"

"Yeah…" He shifted uncomfortable.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to get use to this…" She sighed.

"Yeah but you're not alone…you have your sisters…" He reminded her.

"We're not close."

"Okay but they know what you're going through, maybe you get closer by helping each other through this…"

"Do you have brothers or sisters?"

He was quiet for a moment before answering. "No…I'm an only child."

"Oh, so it must have been harder for you…"

He shrugged. "I guess…"

"Hey…" Rachel returned, she looked at them confused. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, we're just talking…" Amy stated. "I'd better go and mingle…"

"Okay then…"

"Thanks, Chandler….you really helped…" She gave him a small smile.

"You're welcome…."

"Thanks for coming…" She added as she turned. "Uh, I'll see you soon, okay Rach…"

"Okay…" Rachel frowned slightly, watching her walk off. "What was that?"

"Nothing…" Chandler replied. "We just talked."

"About what!"

"She was just asking about my parents divorce.." 

"You talked to her about it!" Rachel asked surprised.

"Yeah…"

"But you hardly know her!" She claimed. "It took us ages to get you to open up to us!"

"I know but she was upset about your parents…"

"Oh…really?"

"Yeah, maybe you should talk to her later…" He suggested.

"Yeah, okay…maybe…" She said quietly, realising she hadn't really thought about how her sisters were feeling.

_**XxXxX**_

"Hey, how did it going?" Ross asked as Chandler and Rachel walked into Central Perk.

"Well, my parents started arguing during the ceremony…" She sighed. "But I ended up talking to my sisters…and we've decided to meet up and talk about all this…"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I suddenly realised that I didn't have to go through this on my own…" She gave Chandler a small smile of thanks.

"You wouldn't be alone…" Monica stated. "You'd have us…"

"I know but sometimes you just need family…"

"But I thought you hated your sisters…" Joey frowned.

"Everyone hates their sisters…" She replied. "I really do care about them and I want help them with this…and I want them to help me with it…"

"Well, I think its great…" Ross said, kissing the top of her head.

"Thank you, Honey…" She smiled at him before standing up. "Right, I got work to do…"

"So, what was it really like?" Phoebe looked at Chandler.

"It was…interesting…" He replied.

"How do you mean?"

He shrugged slightly. "Just was different…"

"Uh, okay…" She gave him a weird look before launching into a story about work. Ross glanced over at Chandler as he started down at the arm of the couch, deep in thoughts. When he looked up, Ross wore a questionable look on his face but Chandler just turned away.

_**XxXxX**_

"I had an interesting conversation with Rachel's sister, Amy yesterday…" Phoebe announced once Rachel had left for work, leaving the others to finish their breakfast.

"Oh yeah?" Monica looked up.

"Yeah, I phoned to tell her about Rachel's surprise party but she wasn't to keen on coming…"

"Oh, what a surprise there…" Monica rolled her eyes.

"Oh, no but she changed her mind when she found out a certain someone was going to be there…"

"What!" Everyone looked up at her.

"Who?" Joey asked.

They all turned to look at Chandler as Phoebe glanced at him.

"Me!"

"Uh-huh…" Phoebe grinned. "Looks, like Monica's not the only one with a crush on you…"

"Thanks, Pheebs…" Monica replied while Chandler rolled his eyes.

"She doesn't have a crush on me…" He stated. "We just talked a bit at the graduation."

"What about?"

"Nothing much…divorce…"

"Well, whatever…all I know she's coming because she knows you'll be here…"

"I doubt it…. it's her sister's birthday!" He picked his plate up and put it in the sink. "Right, I got to get to work…I'll see you later…"

Ross got up and followed him, stopping him before he reached the stairs.

"Chandler, this has gone far enough!" He stated. "You have to tell them!"

"What? No!"

"Come on, what if Phoebe is right!" Ross questioned. "What if Amy has developed some kind of feelings for you?"

"We spoke for 15 minutes!"

"Chandler…" He started again.

"No, just back off…" Chandler snapped slightly before walking off.

_**XxXxX**_

"Surprise!" Everyone yelled as Rachel and Ross walked through the door.

"Oh my god!" Rachel jumped, pretending to be surprised by them all.

"Oh, this is so great, thank you!" She looked at her friends group together by her.

"Happy birthday, sweetie…" Monica hugged her, the others following suit.

"Oh my god…my sisters are here…" She spotted them by the window.

"Yeah… And they brought your Mom too…"

"My mom?" She repeated, nervously.

"Don't worry, you're Dad's not here…"

"Oh…oh right…" She frowned slightly.

"What's wrong?" Ross asked softly.

"Nothing…just…its weird…" She stated. "Now its either going be my Mom or my Dad…never going to be both of them again…"

"I'm sorry, honey…" He sighed quietly, tightening his arm around her.

"Yeah, well its my birthday, so I want to forget all this and have a good time…" She forced a smile.

"Sounds good to me!" He agreed.

It was an hour into the party when there was a knock on the door. Monica froze when she saw who was stood there.

"Dr Green…" She stammered. "What..uh…what are you doing here?"

"I've come to see my daughter on her birthday…" He stated, peering over her shoulder. "You're having a party?"

"Uh, yeah…um…"

"Why didn't anyone tell me…"

"Well you see the thing is…" Monica started but he had managed to push his way into the apartment before she had change to stop him.

"Daddy?" Rachel looked at him surprised.

"Happy Birthday, sweetie…." He smiled and hugged while Monica sent her an apologetic smile from behind him.

"Leonard…" Sandra glared at him slightly.

"Here we go…" Jill muttered, walking away from them.

"Sandra, why am I not surprised you knew about this little gathering…" He answered, sarcastically.

"Its not my fault they didn't want you here…" She shot back.

"No, please…it's not like that…" Rachel tried to calm them down but they continued causing everyone else to stop and watch.

"They're my children too…"

"You've never cared about being a good father before!"

"Yeah, well at least I'm not trying to destroy any of their lives…" 

Chandler shifted uncomfortably and took a step back so he was out of sight of either of them.

"I think you've done a good job of that already…" She whispered hatefully.

"Both of you stop!" Amy shouted. "Stop it now!"

"Excuse me?" Leonard looked at her surprised.

"You can't keep doing this!" She claimed. "We understand you can't stay together but do you really need to argue all the time!"

"Oh, honey…" Sandra started.

"No! First you spoilt my graduation now you want to do same with Rachel's party?" She glared at them. "Well, I'm not going to let you…"

"Uh, what?"

"Either you stop arguing when we're around or we stop seeing you both…" She crossed her arms.

"Oh come on…" Leonard rolled his eyes.

"I'm serious!" She claimed.

"Yeah, I'm with her…" Rachel moved to her sister's side.

"Me too…" Jill added.

There was silence in the apartment for a moment.

"Alright, fine!" He finally agreed. "I'll try!"

"Me too…" Sandra nodded.

Chandler silently let himself out of the apartment unnoticed. He took a deep breath and rushed outside, fumbling in his pockets for his cigarettes. He glanced around to make sure none of his friends had followed him before putting one out of the pack and placing it in his mouth as he searched for his lighter.

He was about to give when he realised he didn't have one when a flame suddenly flicked in front of his face. He jumped slightly and looked surprised when he saw it was Leonard, he hesitated slightly before accepting the light. Chandler watched as he lit up his own cigarette and they both reminded silent as they took a few drags.

"These things will kill you, y'know…" Leonard muttered, looking up at the night sky.

"So will a car crash but it doesn't stop me from driving…" Chandler responded, earning a quiet laugh from the other smoker. "Anyway, you can't talk…"

"It's a hard habit to kick…" He shrugged, taking another long drag. "None smokers don't seem to understand that…"

Chandler nodded slightly but didn't say anything in reply.

"Maybe we should go and get a drink…" He suggested.

Chandler looked at him curiously. "Why?"

"I just want to talk…"

"It's your daughter's birthday party…" Chandler reminded him.

"She won't miss me…"

"Why are you doing this to me!" He stubbed out his cigarette and ran a hand through his hair.

"I just want to talk…"

"You've had years to!" He claimed. "Why now? Why all of a sudden do the two of you want to be apart of my life!"

"Just let me buy you a beer, I never got to do that on your 21st…"

"And you think that can make up for it!"

"Just one drink…" He repeated.

Chandler thought about it for a moment, looking around the empty street again before sighing.

"One drink…and then this will all be over?"

"Yeah…" He nodded, gesturing to his car parked on the rode.

He hesitated before moving to get into the car.

_**XxXxX**_

They were sat in a small quiet bar, Chandler with a beer in front of him and Leonard with a scotch, both with cigarettes in their mouths.

"What does Rachel know?"

"Nothing…" Chandler stated quietly.

"I thought you're best friends…" Leonard looked at him.

"We are…"

"Then why haven't you told her?"

"Because it would devastate her!"

"I know… which is why I don't want her to find out…"

"Fine by me…" He took a swig of his beer.

They were silent for a moment before Leonard broke it. "I want you to leave…"

"Okay…" Chandler stood up.

"No…" He stopped him. "I mean…I want you to leave New York…"

Chandler dropped back onto the wooden stall and stared at him stunned by his request. "What?"

"Everything is just so complicated…." He stated. "I've got Sandra wanting to be part of your life…. Rachel telling me what a great friend you are…and now Jill and Amy see you has some kind of big brother, who will give them advice whenever they need…"

"I am their big brother!" He pointed out.

"I know but how do you think they'd react if they knew the truth…" He continued. "We weren't the only ones that lied to them…."

Chandler reminded silent, picking up his beer and drinking it in one.

"So, you want me to leave?" He looked at him. "Move away from my friends…the people that have only really cared about me?"

"You can make new friends…"

Chandler shook his head slightly in disbelief at what he was hearing.

"Look, Chandler…I know you're a good kid…" He said softly. "I know you want to do the right think…"

"You know nothing about me…" He whispered.

"Okay…" He replied slowly. "But we both know that if you stay around here you won't be Chandler…. you'll always be Alex…"

_**XxXxX**_

"Thanks, again you guys…" Rachel said later that night as they all help clear up after the party. "I had a really great time…"

"You're welcome…" Monica smiled.

"I wonder where Chandler went though…" Phoebe questioned.

"Yeah, you think he's okay?" Joey added.

"I hope so…" Ross said quietly, he had noticed that both Chandler and Rachel's father had both disappeared.

"Maybe he's back now…" Monica replied, heading towards the door, the other following.

Like normal the door was unlocked, Monica flicked on the lights as they all piled in.

"Chandler?" She frowned slightly, seeing him by the small window, his head resting against it as he watched the raindrops slide down the glass.

"Where have you been?" Ross asked as they all moved closer to him.

"I had some stuff to sort out…" He said quietly, still not removing his gaze from the rain.

"Stuff more important then my birthday party?" Rachel crossed her arms; a little annoyed he had left.

"Sorry…" He mumbled.

"Chandler, what's going on?" Joey asked, looking around the apartment, seeing numerous cardboard boxes. "What's with the boxes?"

"I moving…" He stated simply.

"What!" They all exclaimed.

"Why!" Rachel asked.

"I have too…"

"Yeah but why?" Joey questioned. "Why do you have too…"

"I just do…" He sighed and stood up.

"Chandler, what's going on?" Ross grabbed hold of his arm. "Has someone put you up to this…"

Chandler didn't say anything; he just removed his arm from his grip.

"He has, hasn't he?" Ross stated.

"Who?" Joey looked between the pair.

"Just forget it…" Chandler mumbled.

"What happened!" Ross continued, ignoring Joey. "What did he do?"

"What did he do?" Chandler repeated. "Well first he brought me a drink…. And then…and then he asked me to leave New York…"

"Wait…are you in some kind of trouble?" Phoebe asked.

Chandler shook his head slightly. "It just best if go…"

"No!" Ross protested. "Don't let him do this!"

"He offered me 10 grand, Ross…" He whispered. "That's how much he wants me out of his life!"

"So, you sold all of us out for the money!"

"No! What the hell do you take me for!"

"Well, you're leaving, aren't you!"

"Not because of him!" Chandler insisted. "I'm leaving because I've had enough! Enough of trying to be someone I'm not!"

"What about us?" Rachel asked quietly, causing him to look at the other four, who stood together.

"I'm sorry…" He said sadly, he could feel the tears start to burn in his eyes.

"Chandler, you're my best friend…" Joey added. "Don't leave…"

"I have to…"

"No you don't!"

"I do!"

"Look, Man…I know this must be hard…" Ross started softly.

"You know!" Chandler repeated. "How the hell do you know!"

"Chandler…"

"You have no idea what it's like!" He raised his voice slightly. "You have no idea what it's like to regretted by the people who are meant to love and accept you no matter what…."

"I know, I'm sorry…" Ross tried to cut in.

"I can't do this anymore, Ross!" He stated, tears filling his eyes. "I can't handle it, I can't sleep, eat…I can't…"

"It's going to be okay…" Ross said softly.

He glanced at the other as Chandler turned his back to them. Joey, Rachel and Phoebe all wore confused, concerned looks, none of them knowing what was going on. Monica was scared she was going to lose him. She knew part of what was going on but suspected that there was more to it to make Chandler suddenly react so badly to everything that had been happening.

She slowly made her away towards him, placing one hand on his shoulder gently causing him to turn to face her slightly. She reached up and put her other hand to his cheek, damp from his tears.

"I don't like it when you cry…" She whispered, almost unheard.

"Sorry…" He replied, just as quiet.

She stared into his eyes for what like seemed like hours, seeing the hurt, confusion and fear in them. Her own eyes filled up, when she saw a single tear escape and rolled down his face. She leaned forward and kissed the tear away and then kissed his other cheek before placing a short sweet kiss on his lips. More tears fell as he responded to it. The others could do nothing but watch the couple, all of them overwhelmed by the scene.

She pulled back slightly, her eyes still on his. "Please don't leave…"

"I have too…" He started.

"No…" She shook her head, kissing him again. "Please…"

Chandler sunk into the kiss again, letting himself drown in her before he realised what he was doing and pulled away.

"Sorry, I can't…" He stuttered, backing away from her and towards the door. "I gotta go…sorry…I….uh…I just…"

They all watched helplessly as he left the apartment, all three girls had tears streaming down their faces and even Joey and Ross eyes burned with tears.

The cold wind whipped around Chandler, making him shiver when he stepped outside of his apartment building. Rain lashed down hard on top but he didn't seem to notice, he turned and walked away from the building. He hadn't got far when he felt someone placing a hand on his shoulder, guessing it was one of his friends he slowly turned around. However he was faced with an unfamiliar guy, who wore his hood up, shielding his face from Chandler.

"Give me your wallet…" He ordered.

"What?" Chandler stuttered, looking around the empty street.

"Money!" The guy snapped.

"I...I haven 't got anything…"

"Don't mess me around!" He yelled shoving Chandler up against the window to Central Perk.

Chandler swallowed the lump that had rose in his throat when he felt something cold and sharp underneath his chin. He built up the courage to look down and saw the mugger was holding a knife at him. He began fumbling around in his pockets, praying he had something to give to him, so all this would be over.

"It's all I got…" Chandler held out some notes to him.

"3 bucks!" He exclaimed.

"I just came out for some fresh air…" Chandler tried to explain.

"HEY!" They both turned when they heard someone shouting.

Chandler let out a breath in relief when he saw Ross running towards them. The guys panicked, he grabbed the money from Chandler and shoved him hard against the window again, knocking the wind out of him. Chandler felt his legs go weak, making him slide down the window. He faintly he heard the sound of the knife dropping to the floor as the guy ran off.

"Chandler…" Ross crouched in front of him. "You okay?"

"Yeah…" Chandler managed to say, shaking with shock.

"Oh god…" Ross stammered.

Chandler looked up at him, seeing his face was pale and shocked. He was about to ask what was wrong when he felt warm liquid forming underneath him. His heart stopped when he saw a pool of red blood…. His breathing increased rapidly as pain ran through his body. He glanced across the street and saw the knife, tinted with blood….his blood.

**TBC**

**Please review! (Runs and Hides) **


	8. Complications

**Hey, wow…thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I got 30 all together for that one part! Most I've gotten for a chapter! So please keep them all coming! Sorry I haven't updated in a while…just got back off holiday. Anywayz, please review and let me know what you think of this…**

**Enjoy! **

**Complications **

Ross knelt down next to Chandler, his mouth open slightly, stunned by what he just witnessed.

"Ross?" His voice was low and shaky, not sure what had happened.

Ross still couldn't form any words. Debating with himself what to say to him but his eyes betrayed him. Chandler followed his friend's glaze down to his own stomach. Slowly, he lifted his hands towards his face; they began to shake when he saw they were covered in blood.

"Ross!" He repeated a louder but this time his voice had traces of panic and fear.

"You'll be okay, man…" Ross finally managed to say, suddenly springing into action. He shrugged of his rain soaked jacket and pressed into the deep wound; trying to prevent any more blood from gashing out and joining the pool already under him.

"Arrg, Ross…." He screamed out, trying to move away from the pressure.

"Sorry, I know it hurts but it's gonna help…" Ross fumbled in his pants pocket trying to find his cell phone but he couldn't.

"Ross, it hurts…" Chandler cried weakly, tears streaming down his face.

"I know, man…. But you'll be okay…" He tried to reassure him.

Ross looked up and down the street, hoping to see someone who would come and help but there was no one. He turned his attention back to Chandler, who by now had gone completely white and wasn't able to keep his eyes open.

"Chandler? Chandler, wake up…" Ross shook him but his friend didn't respond. "Oh god, Chandler, please…please…wake up…"

Tears suddenly fell from his eyes from just the thought of losing his best friend for good.

"Help!" He screamed out, preying for someone to come; he couldn't do it on his own. "Please, someone, help us…please…"

His voice trailed when he realised that the rain had made people deserted the streets…they were all alone. He knew he had to get help but he couldn't leave Chandler like this.

"Chandler, come on…open your eyes…" Ross said quietly to his friend, moving closer to him. "Please, we all need you…please…just…please…"

"Ross?"

He suddenly turned around when he heard some call his name.

"What are you doing?" Joey asked, confused moving towards him, stopping only when he saw Chandler on the floor. "What…what?"

"Joe, quick…get some help!" Ross told him.

"What happened?" Joey was frozen to the spot. "Is he okay?"

"Get help!" Ross shouted, startling Joey.

He quickly nodded and ran back towards his apartment.

"Hear that, Joey's going to get help…." Ross turned back to Chandler. "The girls will probably come down here as well, so you got to wake up, okay?"

There was still no response causing Ross to look towards the sky, closing his eyes in a vain attempt to ask God for help.

"Ross!"

"Quick, you got to help…I don't know what I'm doing…" He finally broke down when the rest of his friends arrived.

"Ross, what happened!" Monica questioned, her hand flying to her mouth.

"I don't know…" He stuttered. "There was a guy…"

"I got some blankets…" Joey came running towards. "And ambulance is on its way."

"We've got to do something now!" Rachel cried.

"Like what?" Joey questioned.

"I don't know!" She exclaimed. "But we can't let him die…."

"He's not going to die!" Phoebe stated before glancing at the others. "Is he?"

"No!" Monica knelt down on the wet pavement, not paying attention to whether it was from the rain or Chandler's blood. "He can't die…"

"He's not waking up, Mon…" Ross said weakly, hating that he couldn't stay in control and brave for everyone but he had just witnessed his best friend being stabbed.

"Just…. Just keep pressure on the wound…" She told him, moving to sit next to Chandler's head. She reached out and stroked his cheek gently. "Chandler…can you hear me? Please, open your eyes…. Come on, please…"

No one else spoke they just watched the scene that was happening in front of them. Phoebe was staring at them, to shocked to move, talk or cry. While Rachel couldn't help but cry. She leaned up against Joey who had one arm wrapped around her, while he was holding the blanket that he brought down in the other arm.

Ross glanced up at them from the position on the floor not being able to look at his friend's deathlike state anymore, letting a few more tears fall from his face.

"Chandler, please wake up…you can't do this to me…" Monica sobbed, reaching down and taking one of his hands in both hers, holding it tightly. "We can't say goodbye like this! We can't lose you, not for good… If you want to leave New York, then okay because then we'd still get to see you, you'd still be in our lives…we need you in our lives…Please Chandler, don't go…not yet…"

Both Phoebe and Rachel broke down and Joey felt tears slid down his face. He turned away from the group, trying to gain some restraint over his emotions. He looked down the street, praying for the dark night sky to be filled up with the lights and sounds from the help…but the only thing that could be heard were his friends distressed sobs.

"Come on…" Joey pleaded. "Come on!"

"Where are they!" Ross asked. "He needs help soon, or he's going to…"

"Don't!" Monica head snapped up. "Don't say it…he's not…he's going to be okay…"

"Mon…" Ross started but was cut off by the sound of sirens wailing.

"They're here, now…it's going to be okay…" Monica whispered, looking back down at Chandler. "Help's here, just hang in there…"

_**XxXxX**_

3 hours had passed and Chandler had been rushed into surgery, leaving the others to wait in a waiting room. For most of the time, there was silence…none of them knew what to say but now Joey was getting wound up. He's best friend could die and he wanted to know why; he was convinced that the attack had something to do with what was going on with Chandler but both Monica and Ross insisted it had nothing to do with it.

"But…. But it doesn't make sense…" Phoebe backed Joey up. "Why would they attack him, like that?"

"People get mugged all the time, Pheebs…" Ross answered quietly and bitterly. "He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"You guys would tell us if he was in some kind of trouble, right?" Rachel asked. "You know we would want to help?"

"We do…" Monica whispered.

"But Chandler doesn't?" Joey turned to look at her.

"No, I didn't mean that…" She stuttered.

"Well, what did you mean!" He raised his voice slightly. "Because I might lose my best friend, my brother and I don't know why!"

"He's not only your best friend, you know!" Ross shot back. "We all care about him…we all wants what best for him!"

"Will you all just stop it!" Phoebe shouted. "This isn't helping anyone! We should be sticking together…helping each other!"

"But…"

"NO! We might lose one friend tonight…. I don't want to lose four more!"

Silence hung over the room, her statement touching the right nerves in all of them.

"Pheebs, you're not going to lose any of us…" Ross said softly.

"You guys are all I have…" She whispered. "I need you, all of you…. But Chandler needs you more… he needs us all to be strong and be his friends…"

"It's okay, Pheebs…we're sorry…we shouldn't have shouted…" Joey moved next to her and hugged her.

"I'm sorry too…" Rachel joined the hug, then Monica did and then Ross.

"We got here as fast as we could…what happened?" Chandler's parents burst into the room.

"We think he was mugged…." Monica turned to them, stepping out of the arms of her friends and wiping a stray tear from her eye.

"Mugged?" Nora questioned. "How…how is he?"

"He's not to good… he…was…. Uh…he was stabbed…" Just saying it brought tears to her eyes.

"Stabbed…No…oh my go… No…he can't have…" Her hand flow to her mouth.

"I'm sorry…" Ross consoled, causing both her and Charles to look at him noticing for the first time, his clothes were soiled by blood…. Their son's blood.

"This can't be happening…not to Chandler…" Charles said quietly. "Please, not to Chandler…"

"But he's going to be okay, right?" Nora questioned. "He's not going to die, right?"

"He's in surgery…" Ross informed them. "The doctor said they'd know more after that…"

Nora dropped into a chair, staring ahead. She couldn't believe this was happening. It was only a few weeks ago, she had been in New York for his birthday. He didn't deserve this…. No one did but especially not her son, not with everything he had been going through.

"He'll be okay…" Charles told her softly. "He's strong…he can get through this…"

"What if he doesn't?" She asked tearfully. "What if we never get to talk to him again…"

"We will…"

"What if I don't get to tell him how much I love him and how sorry I am for everything…" She broke down and for the first time in 15 years, Charles wrapped him arm around her, hoping it would bring some form of comfort.

"He'll be okay…" He managed to say between his own sobs.

Everyone settled back down into their own thoughts, all of them too distracted by their concerns for Chandler to talk to each other. Ross glanced across at Monica, who was absently playing with the silver necklace that hung around her neck. He knew his little sister was in love with his best friend and he didn't know if she would be able to cope if anything happened to him. He knew he wouldn't be able to if something happened to Rachel, who was sat next to him, their arms wrapped around each other. He sighed quietly, she didn't even know that it was her brother in there fighting for his life and she may never find out who he really is.

He looked up quickly when he heard the door open and the doctor from before appeared, wearing green scrubs.

"Mr Bing is out of surgery…" He announced, causing them all to shoot to their feet and move closer to him.

"And is he okay?" Rachel asked.

"It's to early to say at the moment I'm afraid…"

"But…but there's something you can do to help him, right?" Nora asked.

"We're not sure at the moment…"

"What do you mean, you're not sure!" Joey demanded. "You've got to help him!"

"Believe me, we're trying our best but we've discovered some complications…"

"Like what?"

"Well, during the attack he's kidney was badly damaged…Unfortunately we had to remove it…"

"But you can live with only one kidney, right?" Ross chipped in.

"Yes you can but Chandler only had one to start with…"

"What? So, he'll need a transplant?" Monica questioned.

"Yes, however he has a rare tissue type so the best beat is for a family member to be the donor…" He told them. "Normally siblings are the answer."

"But Chandler is an only child!" Joey exclaimed, worried.

"Well, a parent might be a match too…" He looked at Nora and Charles. "If you both are healthy."

Nora and Charles exchanged knowing looks; Charles shook his head and turned to walk off.

"Where you going!" Joey asked, annoyed thinking he was running out when his son need him again.

"He's my only child and I can't help him!" He cried.

"Well, we won't know that until we've done some tests…" The doctor started.

"No…there's no need… we know we won't be a match for him.." Nora said quietly, looking away.

"Why are you so convinced?" Phoebe asked.

"Because…. Because…he's adopted…" She struggled the say the words. "We're not his real parents…."

"What?" Joey stuttered. "But…but how…"

"Look, this isn't important now…" Ross cut in. "What's important is what is going to happen to Chandler?"

"Did you know?" Rachel asked him. "Is that what's been wrong with him lately?"

"Guys, can we just leave this for now?" Monica asked tearfully and looked back at the doctor. "What if Chandler doesn't get the transplant."

He sighed. "Sadly he'll die…"

"NO!" Joey yelled. "No, you can't let him die!"

"We'll do our best but…"

"No, no buts! Please just save him…"

"I'm sorry…" He said quietly. "I'll leave you to talk this over…"

They were quiet will the doctor slipped out of the room.

"We have to get in touch with his birth parents…" Phoebe stated. "Do you know where we can find them?"

"I don't think Chandler will want that, Pheebs…" Ross said, glancing at Nora and Charles.

"He could die, Ross!" Rachel exclaimed.

"I know but things are complicated…"

"What do you mean?"

"Remember earlier…Chandler said he was asked to leave New York?" The others nodded silently and curiously. "He…he was on about his real father…."

"What?" Nora looked at him. "He asked Chandler to leave…"

"He wanted him out of his life…" Ross carried on, angrily at Leonard. "He's not going to want to help…"

"Okay, he might not want to…but what about his sisters?" Monica asked.

"What sister?" Rachel queried.

"Chandler has three sisters…" Monica informed them. "Maybe one of them is a match…"

Ross sighed. "I don't think that will work…"

"What's with all the negativity!" Phoebe asked. "Do you want him to die or something!"

"Of course not!" He insisted. "But for the last few months I've been trying to get Chandler to tell them the truth about who he is…"

"Wait? You know them?" Monica interrupted.

"Sort of…" He shifted uneasy.

"So, you can tell them!" Joey said hopefully.

"I think we should wait and see what Chandler says…"

"But he could die!"

Ross was silently for a moment, he could just tell them the truth now and deal with the consequences later. However, even though he didn't agree with Chandler over the matter, he knew he would never forgive him if he broke his trust and he couldn't lose that as well….

"Lets just wait…" He said quietly.

**TBC**

**Please review! Sorry of the medical information is wrong…**


	9. Only Way To Escape

**Hey! Whoa, am I surprised at the amount of reviews I'm getting for this! I've had 30 reviews for the last two chapters each! That's so great! Please keep them coming! **

**Sorry I haven't updated anything in a while but I've not long got back from a 2 week holiday in Turkey! Oh, and I was meant to have Chandler's parents mention something about him only having one kidney in the last chapter but for some reason completely left it out…so sorta added into this part! Anyway, please review and let me know what you think! **

**Enjoy! **

**Only Way To Escape **

No one really spoke after the shocked announcement…Things started to make a bit more sense to Rachel, Joey and Phoebe but Ross surprised all of them… He knew the people who could say their friend but he wouldn't tell them who they were.

Monica glanced at Nora and Charles sitting away from the group. Both of them looked distort… she knew that they both used to know Chandler's real parents and neither of them were keen on filling them in on what was happening. She knew how confused Chandler had felt about his blood family and understood why he had kept them all at a distant but things were different now; it was matter of life and death.

Ross stared down at the floor, he knew everyone kept looking at him…angry that he wouldn't tell them the names of Chandler's real parents but it wasn't just him. Charles and Nora knew who they were and they weren't exactly rushing for the phone. The doctor had said that Chandler was stable for the moment but was still recovering from the surgery and when had had some rest they would be able to go and see him. He could talk to him then; let him decide what to do. Telling himself that once his friend knew how serious all this was and what he needed to do to stay alive then he would ask for the help he needed from Leonard and Sandra, giving them both the perfect chance to start paying him back from all the pain they had put him through. Although deep down, there was a niggling part of them that kept thinking about how stubborn Chandler had become over this matter…How he would probably rather die then turn to the people who abounded him. He hoped with all his heart that he was wrong…. That Chandler would be smart enough to make the right decision.

He finally looked up when he saw Joey stood in front of him, holding something out. Ross reached out a hand a took it, it was a picture of the six of them sat in Central Park on Joey's last birthday, even though it had only been 6 months ago, it was already a bit torn and screwed up from where Joey had been carrying it around in his wallet. Ross looked up from the picture to his friend, who was holding a coin.

"Please, call them…." He pleaded quietly.

Ross adverted his eyes again, unable to look at Joey any longer. "Not yet…"

"Ross, please!" He said a bit louder. "We can't let him die!"

"He's not going to die!" Ross insisted, standing up.

"He will if he doesn't get this operation!" Rachel joined in.

"Lets just wait and see, yeah?"

"Ross, just call them!" Joey demanded. "Tell him you had no choice!"

Ross looked over at Nora and Charles, who were watching silently. He wished they would say something, they could back him up but he could tell that they didn't know what was the right thing to do, either.

"Look, Joe…." He started.

"Excuse me…" They all turned to see a nurse stood there. "Are you here for Chandler Bing?"

"Yeah, we are…" Monica answered quickly.

"He's starting to wake up…" She smiled softly. "You're allowed to see him…"

"I guess we'll just have to get their number out of Chandler…" Joey stated, looking at Ross before following the nurse and the others.

"Good luck…" he whispered to himself, heading after them all.

"He'll be a little drowsy…" The doctor, explained, as they all stood around Chandler's bed. "And remember, he's very weak…."

Chandler let his eyes slowly open, he could hear people talking but could work out what they were actually saying. He glancing around, confused… his friends were there and so was his parents, they all looked like they had been crying…. He couldn't work out why until it all came back to him…. Imagines of a hooded man shot in front in front of his eyes…then a bloodied knife….

"Chandler?" Monica spoke softly as she leaned over him.

"Mon…" He mumbled so quietly it went unheard. He tried to reach up and remove the oxygen mast that was covering his mouth but was stopped by the doctor.

"Mr Bing, you need to keep this on…" He instructed. "You've been very seriously hurt…Okay, I'll be back soon when you're a bit stronger…."

Chandler watched the doctor leave the room, before glancing across at everyone else. He looked down at his right hand, which was being clutched tightly by Monica, as stray tears escaped her eyes.

He reached up again to remove the mask and this time no one stopped him.

"Don't…. Cry…" He managed to utter. "I'm okay…"

"I know…" She tried to smile and rubbed her eyes.

"How you feeling?" Nora moved to the other side of his bed and took his hand.

"Not to good…" He admittedly quietly.

They all watched as he closed his eyes. After a few seconds they all began to wonder if he had fallen back asleep when he slowly opened them again and looked at them.

"This is pretty serious, isn't it?" He whispered.

They all looked at each other, unsure who should answer his question and how much they should tell him.

"Yeah, honey…" Monica spoke softly, brushing his hair back off his forehead. "It is pretty serious."

He swallowed the lump that had rose in his throat and threatened to choke him.

"How..umm…how…" He shrugged to get the words out. "How serious?"

"Maybe I should get a doctor…" Ross suggested. "He'll be able to explain it better…"

Chandler watched him silently as he left the room and more fear crept over him when he realised none of his friends or his parents were keen on telling him what was going on.

"Mon?" He looked at her questionably, his eyes pleading with her to talk to him.

She looked across at Nora, who stepped away from the bed letting them have their moment. His took his right hand in both of hers and sat on the edge of the bed so she was facing him.

"Okay, when you were brought in you were taken straight into surgery…." She explained, softly. "Your…your kidney had to much damage…they had to remove it…"

"But….but I only had one…" He stuttered, traces of fear and panic in his voice. Thinking back to when he was a child, he had to go to regular check ups to make sure the one kidney he was born with was healthy and working properly.

Tears filled Monica's when she saw the terrified look on his face. She had never seen him look like that before and it scared her… he was the one she normally went to when she was scared…but she had to be there for him…she had to let him knew that she would be there no matter what happens.

"It's going to be okay…" She whispered, squeezing his hand, reassuringly.

"Am…am…I going to die?" He croaked out as he looked up at her, tears filling his eyes.

"No!" She insisted but she could tell from the look on his face that he didn't believe her.

"Here, put this back on…" Nora stepped forwards, placing the oxygen mask over his face when she saw him struggling to breath on his own. She placed her hand on his cheek, making him look at her. "We're going to get you through this, okay?"

He hesitated slightly before giving a small nodded, not sure if he believed her or not.

Once had managed to get his breathing in control again, he allowed his eyes to drift shut but quickly open them again when he heard the door opening and closing, see Ross coming in with the doctor.

"I understand, you'd like to ask some questions?" The doctor looked at him.

He reached up and removed the mask again. He shrugged to speak. "What…. what's going to happen to me?"

"Well, I'm afraid we had to remove your kidney, now you only had one so we now need to find a matching donor…" He explained. "But unfortunately you have a rare tissue type so it's going to be hard to find a suitable donor…"

"So, whats does that mean?" He questioned, frowning slightly.

"It means, our best bet is for a blood relative to be a living donor…"

"A…a blood relative…" He stuttered, looking at his parents.

"Either that or we can just hope we find a match else where but the longer the transplant is left then the higher the risk are of complications…"

"And if I don't have the transplant…" He started; avoiding the concerned looks he was getting from his friends. "How…how long will…."

The doctor sighed softly, guessing what he was trying to ask. "Its hard to say… days, weeks…"

"So, you need to have the operation…" Joey spoke for the first time. "You need to tell us who your parents are…"

"My parents are over there…" He answered.

"Chandler, please… just…just tell us…" Joey pleaded. "They need to know…they would wanna help…"

Chandler looked up at him, tears falling from his eyes. "No, they won't…"

"Well, I'll make them!" He claimed. "Just tell me who they are and I'll go talk to them.."

"No…" He shook his head.

"Chandler!"

"No!" He said a bit louder. "I don't want them to know…"

"But you could die!"

Chandler turned his attention away from his best friend to his parents and Ross, knowing they were the only ones who knew who his birth parents were.

"Promise me, you won't call them…" He whispered.

"Chandler, look this doesn't mean anything…this isn't change the fact you're are our son…" Nora started, her eyes filling up.

"I don't want their help…" He repeated. "Please, promise me…"

Nora stared at him for a moment; her heart breaking at the thought of losing him for good…more tears fell from her eyes as she nodded slowly. "I promise…"

"Dad?"

"If…. If that's what you really want…" He managed to say through his own tears.

"It is…" He nodded, trying not to look at the others. "Ross…. Ross…promise me…"

"Chandler, please just reconsider this…" He pleaded with his best friend. "Maybe it doesn't have to be them…what about one of the girls…"

"No!"

"They're your sisters, I know they would want to know that you're their brother!" He insisted. "I know they would want to help you."

"I don't want them to know!" He exclaimed. "For weeks you've been going on at me about telling them…but I don't want to… I don't want them to hate me…I don't want them to know the real me!"

"But…"

"No, it's my decision!" He stated, looking at the doctor. "Right? I can refuse to go ahead with the operation, right?"

They all looked at the doctor, hoping he wouldn't agree. He sighed. "Yes, you can refuse…"

"If you tell them…then…then I still won't have the transplant and it would be a waste of time…" Chandler looked back at the Ross. "People would get hurt for no reason."

"You're not 'no reason'…" Ross insisted. "Its time that they started trying to make up for what they put you through…. Its time for you to let them…"

"Why should I?"

"Because you'll die otherwise!" He replied. "There's to many people here that loves you…and cares for you…and needs you!"

"Okay, I think it might be best if you all left for a while…" The doctor cut in, saying how worked up everyone was getting.

"But…" Ross started.

"Mr Bing, needs some rest…" The doctor ordered. "This arguing is not helping his condition."

"Right, okay…yeah…" Ross sighed, in defeat.

"Can I stay?" Monica asked the doctor, not ready to leave yet.

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea…."

"Please, I won't get him worked up again…I just want to sit with him…please…"

The doctor's face softened slightly. "Okay, but the rest of you will have to leave…"

"Yeah, come on…let everyone calm down before anyone decides anything…" Rachel commented.

"I'm not going to change my mind…" Chandler muttered.

"Come on, Ross…" Rachel took her boyfriend's hand, tempting to pull him out of the room, pretending she didn't hear Chandler.

"This is crazy!" Ross commented once they were outside the room. "He'll actually prefer to die then ask them for help!"

"You don't know that!" Rachel sighed. "It could be just the shock of everything happening…I'm sure he'll come around…"

"Yeah, so maybe we should call these people now…" Joey answered. "Maybe if he talks to them…if they show him that they want to help then he'll change his mind."

"And what makes you think they'll wanna help?" Nora asked.

"Oh don't you start…" Ross rolled his eyes.

"You out of everyone should understand why Chandler's acting like this…why he's so scared…" Nora looked at him. "How many times have they let him down in the past…Other then the day he was born, they didn't see him at all up till he was 18 and that was to only tell him they didn't anything to do with him…"

"I do understand…"

"Do you? Do you know hard this is…to watch all of this?" She began to cry softly. "To know that my only son could die because he's scared he'll get rejected again, just like all those times before…. To know there's nothing I could do about it!"

"You could call them…" Joey said quietly after a few seconds of silence.

Nora shook her head slightly but couldn't speak as more tears fell and she collapsed into one of the chairs. Charles sat down next to her, putting an arm around her…he glanced up at his son's friends…Rachel, Phoebe and Joey, all looked lost… none of them knowing what to do…Whilst Ross stood staring ahead, deep in thoughts.

"You must think I'm stupid…" Chandler whispered, causing Monica to look at him, surprised to see he was actually awake.

"No…" She shook her head. "But…but I don't want you to die…"

"I can't ask them to do this, Mon…" He claimed. "I just…its like…I don't…I don't know how to explain it…but I can't…I can't do it…"

"Shh, its okay…." She soothed. "I understand…"

"You do?"

"Yeah, I might not be happy about your decision but I understand it…." A few years escaped her eyes. "Then though it breaks my heart seeing you like this…"

"I'm sorry…" He adverted his eyes.

"What for?" She questioned.

"For breaking your heart…" He whispered.

She shook her head slightly, trying to tell him it wasn't his fault but she couldn't get any words out. After a few seconds, she leaned down and kissed him softly… pulling back to look into his eyes, wiping away a tear.

"I don't want to die, Mon…" His voice creaked with emotion. "But…I can't live in their debt…I've tried so hard to move on…to start a new life…but they kept coming back…they kept hurting me…. Maybe this is the best way… maybe this is my only chance to escape them…"

"No!" Monica cried softly. "Don't say that…please, don't say that…I need you…don't leave me…"

"I don't want to…" He answered. "I care about you so much… more then anyone…and I hate myself for hurting you…"

"You haven't hurt me…" She insisted.

He was quiet for a moment. "I love you…"

"What?" She looked up, shocked.

"I love you…" He repeated a bit louder. "Been idiot…I'm sorry for not telling you before…"

She continued to stare at him stunned for a moment before she finally managed to speak.

"I love you too…" She whispered back, leaning forwards again and kissing him softly. "I love you so much…"

"I'm sorry I can't give you what you've always dreamed of…" His eyes closed as he tried to regain some control of his emotions. "I'm sorry I won't be there…"

"No, don't say that…" She told him. "We'll figure something out…we'll get through this…"

"Mon…" He started but was cut off.

"No! I'm not letting you go that easily!" She claimed.

He managed a small smile but she could tell it was forced.

_**XxXxX**_

Joey's eyes snapped open when he heard the door to the waiting room the doctor had let them use close.

"Mon?" He was surprised to see her. "Everything okay? I thought you were with Chandler…"

Joey's voice had woken everyone else in the room and they were looking around confused.

"I was…" Her arms wrapped tightly around her body. "But…but they need to run some tests.."

"Wow, its morning already…" Rachel commented looking at her watch. "How is he?"

"I don't….I don't know…" She stuttered. "The doctor seems to think he's gotten worse over night… they're running tests…"

"But he'll be okay, right?" Joey asked.

"I don't know…." She began to cry, causing Ross to quickly pull her into his arms.

They stayed silent, drinking the bitter warm coffee that Phoebe and Joey had gone to get 10 minutes ago. No one knew what to say… they all knew that they had to wait until the doctor came with information before they started to feel a bit better. As soon as the door opened, they all jumped up.

"How is he?" Nora asked. "He's not….he hasn't…"

"No…" The doctor stopped her, knowing what she was asking. "No, he's not…but its getting close…"

"What?" Monica's face paled. "But…but you said it would be weeks!"

"In some cases, it is…but Chandler is failing faster then we originally thought…" He told them.

"Well, what does that mean?" Ross questioned.

"It means, he needs the operation as soon as possible…"

"Can we see him?" Rachel asked.

"You can…" He nodded slowly. "But he won't responded, his under heavy sedation…."

"Oh god, I can't believe this is happening…" Joey muttered as they followed the doctor down the corridor.

"It'll be okay…." Rachel told him. "He'll be okay…"

"How do you know?"

"Because….I can…I can just feel it…"

Joey looked at her; normally it was Phoebe who made comments like that. Her statement had given him a little bit more confidence, so he didn't say anything…he simply nodded.

Monica stared down at Chandler's still body…unable to believe it…it was just last night he was telling her that he loved her…now he was lying motionless.

"Hey…" Rachel looked up and saw Ross walk in, frowning slightly noticing he had been missing for 15minutes. "Where you been?"

"I just needed some fresh air…" He told them and silently took a seat next to the bed.

"Where are Mr and Mrs Bing?" Joey asked, seeing they were gone to and wondering if they had actually been there before.

"I don't know…" Monica frowned worried but it wasn't long till Charles returned and then 10 minutes later Nora turned up…both claiming they needed some time alone.

Monica sat back in her chair, a small sad smile on her face as she listened to Joey talking to his best friend… telling stories about what they've done together… begging for him not to go.

They all jumped when they heard a knock at the door and all surprised and confused to see Leonard and Sandra Green stood there.

"Mom, Dad?" Rachel looked at them. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh god…" Sandra gasped, looking over at Chandler.

"What's going on?" Phoebe asked aloud.

"Rachel, honey… there's something we need to talk to you about…" Leonard told her.

"What?"

"I think we should go somewhere more private…" He suggested, holding out a hand to her. "Come on…"

She stood up and took his hand, silently looking at the others in concern, letting her father lead her out.

"What was all that about?" Joey asked once they had closed the door behind them.

"Uh, lets just wait and see…" Ross replied, sharing the same worried look with Nora and Charles…

**TBC**

**Don't you just hate cliff-hanger like that! Please review and let me know what you think!**


	10. Anger

**Hey, here's the next part! I hope you like it! Thanks for all the reviews for the last part! Please review and let me know what you think! **

**Enjoy! **

**Anger**

"Why are they running more test?" Joey asked the others when once again they had been asked to leave Chandler's room. "What's going on!"

"They're just checking his progress…" Ross sighed.

"What progress?" He replied. "He didn't wake up or move the whole time we were there!"

"That was probably the drugs they had given him, Joe…" Monica answered. "The doctors are doing the best they can."

Joey sighed and sat down. "Yeah, I know…"

They all seemed the fall into a silence until Rachel appeared.

"Did you know!" She demanded going straight up to Ross.

"Rach…" He started unsure what she had been told, he glanced behind her to see her parents heading towards them…from the looks on all their faces he knew they had told her the truth.

"You knew and didn't tell me!" She exclaimed, tears falling from her eyes.

"Tell you what?" Phoebe asked.

"What's going on?" Monica added.

"Did you know too?" She spun around to face her best friend.

"Know what!" Monica questioned, getting frustrated which told Rachel she didn't know.

"Look, Rach…lets just go somewhere and I'll explain, okay?" Ross tried to take her hand but she moved away from.

"I don't want you to explain anything!" She glared at him.

"Ross, what have you done?" Phoebe asked.

"Rachel, please…" Ross pleaded, ignoring Phoebe.

"How could you keep something like that from me?" She cried. "I thought you loved me!"

"I do love you!" He put his hands on her shoulders, making her face him. "I do…I just promised Chandler…I couldn't go behind his back!"

"Will someone tell us what the hell is going on!" Joey raised his voice slightly.

"What's going on out here?" The door to Chandler's room opened and his doctor appeared

"Nothing… everything's fine…" Rachel insisted, once again moving away from Ross. "How is he?"

The doctor looked at them curiously for a moment before answering her question.

"Not so good…he's failing faster then we thought he would…" He told them. "We're now supporting his breathing…if he doesn't get a transplant soon then he'll slip into a coma which he'll probably won't make a full recovery from."

They all cried out, forgetting what was happening just before he had turned up and started to refocus back on Chandler.

"I want to be tested to be a donor…" Rachel announced causing everyone to look at her surprised.

"Oh okay…" The doctor said slowly. "But the chances of you being a match are slim…I mean Chandler has a rare tissue type…like I said before, he's best chance is for a blood relative to donate…."

"I am a blood relative…" She replied.

"What?" Both Phoebe and Joey said together, confused.

Monica looked at Rachel then to her parents and at Ross and Chandler's parents, slowly working it all out.

"Oh my god…" She said slowly, it suddenly all made sense. Why Chandler began being overprotective of Rachel. Why he didn't want the others to know he was adopted. Why he always acted weird her parents were around.

"Excuse me?" The doctor asked, obviously as confused as Joey and Phoebe.

"I'm his sister…" She replied, closing her eyes, overwhelming herself by just saying the words.

"But how can you…?" Joey started not getting it.

"Look, this isn't important now!" Rachel snapped turning to glance at them all staring at her before giving her attention back to the doctor. "Can I be tested?"

He nodded slightly. "I'll set it up…. I'll come get you when we're ready for you…"

"Okay, thank you…" Rachel replied as he headed off.

"Rachel, I think we all need to talk…" Sandra started.

"I don't need to talk to you about anything!" She insisted turning to leave as well.

"Rach, where are you going?" Ross asked, following her with the others close behind them.

"I got to call Jill and Amy…" She replied, not bothering to stop. "I might not be a match but they could be…"

"Rachel, just please stop and think about all this?" He pleaded.

"What's there to think about!" She spun around to face him, angrily.

"Well, you heard what he said!" Ross rose his voice slightly too. "He didn't want you to know! He doesn't want you to be a donor!"

"He hasn't got a choice!" She snapped back. "He's lying unconscious and Jill, Amy or I are the only ones who can do something about it!"

"Yes, I know that…" Ross started but she cut him off.

"What do you expect me to do, Ross?" She asked. "Stand by and watch him die knowing that I might be able to save him! Just because he's worried that I might angry with him!"

"No, I don't…."

"If you did then they did you even call them!" She interrupted once more, gesturing towards her parents, who stood side by side with guilty looks.

Ross paused for a minute, frowning. "I never called them…"

"What?" She shook her head. "Of course you did! You were the only one who didn't promise Chandler you wouldn't let them know and then you disappeared…"

"Yeah, I went for a walk…" He explained, glancing at the others. "And I know I never promised I wouldn't tell them but I didn't call them!"

"If you didn't call them…and I didn't…" Nora started slowly turning her glaze to her ex-husband.

He averted his eyes, not being able to look at them. "He hated me for most of his childhood…I'm use to it…I can handle him hating me for this…. As long as he's alive to hate me then that's okay…"

No one spoke; no one knew what to say to him. They all knew that deep down Chandler never really hated him; he was just hurt by everything that had gone on… They just hoped that if Chandler did pull through then he'd be able to see past it all and be grateful to him for what he's done.

"Thank you…" It was Joey who broke the silence.

Charles gave him small smile. "I did it for Chandler…"

"I know…" Joey nodded. "But thank you…"

Once again silence settled over them before Rachel turned and headed towards the payphones again.

"Ross, let her go…" Monica stopped him as he went to go after him.

He sighed and just watched her disappear around the corridor corner.

"Can someone please tell us what's going on now?" Phoebe asked.

"Rachel is Chandler's sister…" Ross explained, his eyes still on the empty spot where Rachel had been.

"Well, yes…we got that part!" Joey rolled his eyes. "But how?"

"They have the same parents!" He finally turned to face them.

Phoebe looked over at Rachel's parents. "You gave him up for adoption?"

"I'm going to find out what's going on with these tests…" Leonard sighed, ignoring her question.

"Find out what about them?" Ross looked at him curiously.

"We came here for a reason…" He replied as he pushed passed them.

"We're going to be tested too…" Sandra added, quietly before following him.

"Wow, I can't believe this is happening…" Joey commented. "Rachel and Chandler are brother and sister?"

"I know this is crazy!" Phoebe agreed.

"How long have you known?" Monica looked at her brother questionably.

"Uh, for quite a while now…." He admitted. "He made me promise not to tell anyone."

"Not even if it meant saving his life?" Rachel appeared behind them.

"Rach…." He sighed. "I wanted to tell you but I could break my promise to him!"

"So, you would have watched him die? Knowing that I could have saved him?" She queried. "What if he had died then I later find out I was a match for him because he's my brother…how the hell do you think I would have felt!"

"I don't know…." He answered. "I didn't really think about it…"

"Someone should have told me…" She insisted quietly.

"I know but I didn't think it was my place too…" He replied, he reached out and touched her arm, comfortingly. "I'm sorry…."

She shrugged away from his touch and stepped back. "Well, that's not important now…Chandler is."

"Okay…" He nodded understandingly. "Did you get hold of your sisters?"

"Yeah…" She answered. "They're on their way."

"Did you tell them?" Monica asked.

"I told them that Mom and Dad gave him up for adoption and I told them he was in hospital but I didn't tell them he needed a transplant…."

"Why not?" Joey frowned.

"I don't know."

"Rach?"

"You don't know my sisters…" She started. "Lately we've all been getting on quite well, sticking together because of this divorce but they're still the same people…"

"So?"

"So, my sisters can be selfish and spoilt…" She sighed. "I guess I was worried if they knew they might be asked to do this then they might not come."

"They can still refuse." Joey stated, unhelpfully getting glares from everyone.

"I know that!" She looked at him. "But this way there's a better chance of me convincing them if we're face to face."

"Okay then…." Ross replied, sighing when she still refused to look at him.

"So…." Joey started, trying to break the silence. Everyone turned to look at him, expecting him to continue. "Umm… So…."

Ross rolled his eyes at him. "I fancy some coffee…anyone else want me to get them one?"

"Yeah, I'll come and help you…" Monica added as they others nodded, accepting his offer.

"Okay and I'll get some sandwiches or something…" He gave them a small smile before looking at his girlfriend. "Any request, Rach?"

"Anything is fine…" She mumbled, turning away from him.

He sighed once more. "Okay then, we'll be back soon."

"You okay, Rach?" Phoebe asked softly once Monica and Ross had gone.

"Fine…" She answered and started walking off again.

"Where you going?" Joey called after her.

"To check on Chandler…"

"Want us to come?" Phoebe questioned.

"No…I think this is something I need to do alone…" She turned, giving them a small smile before entering Chandler's room.

She closed the door quietly and just stood there for a few minutes just watching him; taking in all the wires that linked him up to all the machines, monitoring his heart beat and progress… While there was a tube down his throat, helping him to breathe. She sighed and moved to sit in the chair next to his bed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She whispered. "I would have wanted to know…. I wouldn't have blamed you! You should have just told me…"

She gently took his hand in hers and just held it. Wondering what her reaction would have been like if he had told her to start with…wondering what her childhood would have been like if she grew up with an older brother.

"Y'know what… don't worry about anything okay?" She spoke softly. "You just get better…we can go through all of this some other time…when you're better…"

She leaned down over him, carefully, so she didn't disturb any of the wire and kissed his cheek softly. She took a deep, wavering breath as she walked towards the door and when she reached it, she turned to look back him one more time before silently leaving. She hesitated in joining her friends when she saw Ross and her parents were back.

"Hey…I got you a turkey sandwich…" Ross held it out to her when he spotted her.

"I'm not hungry…." She mumbled, sitting down in between Joey and Monica.

"Rach, you got to eat…" He stated.

"Not at this precise moment I don't!" She shot back, sending him a glare that told him to back off.

"Okay then…." He slowly nodded.

"How's Chandler?" Sandra asked.

Rachel looked at her coldly. "Like you care."

"I do care!" She protested. "You don't know what's all this has been like for me!"

"For you!" Rachel exclaimed. "It was your decision to give him away!"

"I know that but…." She started before stopping. She looked down at the floor before continuing quietly. "I made a mistake."

"Whatever…" Rachel muttered, folding her arms across her chest.

"Young lady, I don't like your attitude…" Leonard said warningly. "We weren't the only one who lied…."

"Oh, I'm sorry…" She replied sarcastically. "Who do you want me to angry at? Chandler? Because I think he's had enough punishment…. At least for one night!"

"I didn't mean that…."

"Well, I guess it was his fault…" She continued, ignoring his attempt to cut in. "I mean, it must have been really annoying that this little baby could interrupt your precious career…."

"Rachel Karen Green you can't talk to me like that!" He raised his voice slightly. "I'm father!"

Rachel stared at him for a moment. He used the voice…the one she was always scared of…. The one she always backed down wrong…. But suddenly it didn't sound so scary anymore.

"No… you're not the same man I thought was my father…" She shook her head slightly. "The father I knew cared about his family!"

"I do care about my family!" He told her. "You and your sisters are everything thing to me!"

"And what about your son!" She snapped again.

"He's not our son anymore!" Leonard raised his voice again before pointing at Nora and Charles. "He's their son! He always has been!"

"He's still our flesh and blood!" She countered. "How can you care so little about him! How can you punish him!"

"Punish him! We gave him up so he'd have a better life!"

"Oh yeah, he had a great life!" She answered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Do you know how many times he had to sit and listen to him complain about everything he want through! How much he hated his childhood!"

"Rachel!" Ross hissed glancing at Nora and Charles' hurt looks.

"Do you know how many times I sat there, thanking God that I never had a childhood like his!" She paid no attention to her boyfriend. "But you know what? He was probably better off because he knew the truth!"

"Look, Honey…I know you're upset that we didn't tell you the truth…" Sandra started but was cut off once again.

"I'm not just upset! I'm hurt and angry!" She stated.

"Why are you so angry? No matter what you say or think, we did give you a good upbringing…you had everything you ever wanted!" Leonard replied.

"Why am I so angry!" She repeated, loudly. "I'm angry because I thought one of my best friends is laying in there and could die…. Now I find out his my brother! I'm angry because my boyfriend knew all about this and didn't tell me!"

"Rach…." Ross sighed and stepped closer to her but she moved away.

"I'm angry because my parents have lied to me all my life! I'm angry my best friend was going to run away because he was so scared about what would happened to him if the truth came out! And because it was you that made him run away! It was you who upset him so much he want out alone when he got mugged!" Her emotions started to get the better of her and her voice creaked as tears began to fall from her eyes and her legs gave way, making her sink down against the wall to the floor. "I'm angry because I never got to tell him how much I always wanted a big brother…"

"Oh, Rach…." Ross knelt down next to her but she still refused to let him hold her. "It's going to be okay…"

"What if he dies?" She whispered, looking at him. "What if I don't get to know him, properly?"

"He's not going to die." He assured her softly. This time she fell into his opened arms and cried while the others stood by and watched them, silently….

**TBC**

**Please review and let me know what you think! **


	11. Fate

**Hey, I know it's taken ages to update this but I'm hoping that I'll be able to update more fics more quickly from now on. Thank you all for your reviews! Love them all! Keep them coming:D **

**Anyways, here it is! **

**Enjoy!**

**Fate**

Monica quietly let herself into Chandler's room and moved to the chair that sat beside the bed. She silently took a seat and just held his hand. She didn't really need to speak, she wasn't even sure that he would be able to hear her. She thought that he would feel her near and that would be enough... she hoped that would be enough.

The last few hours had been surreal to say the least...She couldn't get her head around the fact that Chandler and Rachel were brother and sister... She couldn't imagine what Chandler must have been going through all this time... knowing that he had a sister but couldn't tell her the truth.

She smiled to herself, thinking back to the day Rachel had ran into the coffee house in her wedding dress...How after Monica agreed to let her stay with her the conversation she had with her friends whilst Rachel was in the shower. Ross was eager to help Rachel, now she realized it must have been because of his enormous crush on her. Phoebe was happy that there would be another female to balance out the 'boy girl' ratio in the group and was excited about getting to know a new person. Whilst neither Joey nor Chandler were annoyed by the new member to the group, they really couldn't be bothered about helping her settle in and get over her failed attempt to get married. They both came around after a few hours once they saw how well she fit into the group. Monica was beginning to wonder if the reason behind Rachel coming back into her was because of fate. Maybe because she and Chandler didn't form a brother/sister relationship when they were younger then it was their chance to do it now.

"Don't you dare give up, yet..." Monica whispered, squeezing his hand gently. "You got a lot of catching up to do with people..."

She leaned over and kissed his cheek softly and gently brushed back some of his hair.

"I love you, y'know..." She told him, softly. "So, don't give up, okay?"

She glanced back at him one more time before heading to the door. When she reached the waiting room, she saw Joey and Phoebe sat alone.

"Where is everyone?" She asked, taking a seat.

"Rachel's having the tests done and Ross has gone with her..." Joey told her.

"Where's Chandler's parents?"

"His fake ones or real ones?"

"Mr and Mrs Bing..." She rolled her eyes.

"They've gone to get some fresh air..." He replied, shrugging.

"What about the Greens? Where did they go?"

"Talking to Jill and Amy..."

"Ah right..."

"This is crazy!" Phoebe said suddenly. "How can they be brother and sister!"

"I know!" Joey agreed. "Why didn't Chandler just tell us!"

"He was scared..." Monica answer quietly.

"Of what?" Phoebe questioned. "We wouldn't have cared!"

"Well, you might not have...but Rachel could have...I mean, how would you feel if someone come up to you and told you they were your brother...telling you, your parents gave them away..." Monica replied. "Rachel has always been quite close to her parents...Chandler knew she'd be gutted if she found they had been lying to her all this time."

"I suppose..." Phoebe said slowly. "But I don't get it...Why did they have to give him away anyway?"

"They wasn't ready for a kid..."

"But Rachel's only a year younger..." Joey argued. "How could they be ready then but not before..."

"Well, they were just leaving college when they had Chandler...a year later they were married and had careers..." Monica sighed softly. "But I think thats what Chandler's been torturing himself about..."

"It wasn't his fault!"

"I know...but with everything that he went through with his Dad leaving after the divorce and his Mom going away on book tours a lot when he was a kid... I think he was beginning to think that they did it to get away from him..." She answered. "His blood parents gave him away...then his adoptive parents send him away..."

"Poor Chandler..." Phoebe said quietly. "Now, I feel guilty about all those times I made fun of him."

"Don't worry about it, Pheebs..." Monica reached out and took her hand. "He didn't care about it...besides he normally gave as good as he got..."

"Yeah..." She smiled fondly. "He could never be serious, could he?"

"Y'know, he would hate for us to be all miserable because of him..." Joey cut in. "If he was here, he would be telling some joke..."

"Yeah, he would be..." Monica laughed slightly.

"He's is going to he okay, isn't he?" Joey asked after a few moments of silence.

Monica turned to look at him, not sure what to say.

"Of course he will..." She finally said. "It's Chandler."

"Yeah..." He said quietly before nodding again. "Yeah, you're right...its Chandler."

They sat in silence, thinking about what was happening...thinking about what could happen.

It was another 20 minutes until Ross and Rachel reappeared. Rachel, had seemed to forgiven Ross for the moment and let him put his arm around her.

"Hey, how you holding up?" Monica asked her, softly.

She shrugged slightly. "I dunno...okay, I guess..."

"Did you do the test?" Joey asked.

"Yeah..." She nodded. "The doctor said he'll try and get the results as fast as he can."

"Well, thats good..." Phoebe said slowly.

"Yeah...Uh, my sisters are being tested at the moment..."

"Really?" Monica looked up surprised. "I thought they'd never go through with it."

"Doesn't mean they will if they are a match..." Rachel replied with a hint of bitterness in her voice. "I mean, they'll probably just doing this test to get back at my parents."

"Honey, you don't know that..." Ross sighed.

"But I know my sisters..." She snapped slightly, moving away from to sit down.

Ross sighed again and looked towards Monica, who shrugged hopelessly telling him she didn't know what to do or say either.

_**XxXxX**_

****Monica sat staring at the waiting room, it was 6:30AM and she couldn't sleep. She looked around the room... Ross and Rachel sat cuddled up in a chair opposite her, having only fell asleep themselves an hour ago...Phoebe had her head resting against Joey shoulder, while he slept with his legs spread out in front of him and his mouth wide up. Jill, Amy and Sandra had spread out across some chairs whilst Leonard leaned up against a wall. Monica's eyes landed on Nora and Charles; to start with they had sat with a chair in between them but some time during the night they had shifted closer to each other and now slept, leaning up against each other. She smiled, wondering what Chandler would having to say if he saw them now. He'd probably make some kind of weird noise and say something sarcastic...That was Chandler...That was her Chandler...She then began to cry quietly, not being able to hold onto her emotions any longer.

"Monica?"

She looked across and saw Rachel sitting up, carefully so not to disturb Ross.

"Sorry, i didn't mean to wake you..." Monica quickly dried her eyes.

"I wasn't really asleep..." Rachel told her, moving over to sit next to her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine..."

"Monica." She looked at her in disbelief.

"Okay, I'm not fine..." She sighed.

"He'll be okay, Mon..." Rachel tried to reassure her.

"I can't help but think about if he's not..." She began to cry again. "It's not fair, I finally found someone i really love...someone I want to spend the rest of my life with and he might be taken away from me before we get our chance..."

"He's not going to..." Rachel started but stopped suddenly, realizing what she had said. "Wait! Love!"

"Yeah, love..." Monica nodded, looking down.

"Oh my god, Mon!" She exclaimed, excitedly. "That's so great! I'm so happy for you!"

"But what if I don't get to be with him?"She questioned.

"You will, Mon...I promise..." She hugged her best friend. "He'll be okay...one of us will be a match and he'll get his operation."

"I hope so..." She whispered, hugging her back.

"So, are you guys a couple now?"

"I don't really know...I guess so..." She shrugged. "I mean, we both said we love each other..."

"Well, that's great!" She stated again. "Why did it take you so long!"

"He wasn't ready..." Monica told her. "He said he wanted to wait until he could completely focus on the relationship instead of all the other stuff that was happening."

"And by other stuff, he meant me and my family..."

"Rach, he never wanted to hurt you..." Monica claimed. "He didn't tell you truth because he knew how upset you'd be about everyone lying to you...he thought you'd end up hating your parents and him...he didn't want that..."

"How long did he know?" She asked quietly, hesitating slightly. "Who I was..."

"Well, he only found out he was adopted when he was 18...he meet your parents one day and they told him they had three daughters...but also said they didn't want any of you knowing about him...That was the last he saw of them..." Monica explained. "And I guess he worked out who you were when your parents came over to dinner that one time, just after you moved in."

"When he freaked out and left..." She remembered.

"Yeah..." Monica nodded. "Thats when he told me he was adopted...but he didn't tell who he's parents were."

"But he told Ross?"

"I guess so...but i didn't even know Ross knew he was adopted."

"I just can't believe all this is happening..." Rachel sighed. "I mean, it doesn't seem real... to me, its Chandler in there...my best friend...not my brother."

"He's still your best friend..." Monica told her. "That's the one thing he didn't want to lose...your friendship."

Rachel smiled slightly and nodded. They both fell back into silence, both of them thinking about everything that had happened...

Four more hours passed and everyone slowly woke up but no one really spoke. Joey and Phoebe had gone to find some food and coffee but no one was really hungry, well except Joey. It wasn't until 1 o'clock that Chandler's doctor joined them.

"I have the results of your blood tests..." He told the Greens. "If you'd like to follow me, we'll go somewhere and discuss this."

"No, we can do this here...I know everyone wants to know if there's a match." Rachel looked at her friends and Chandler's parents.

"Very well, if you insist..." The doctor shrugged, looking down at his notes.

"So, was there a match?" Joey asked impatiently.

"Yes, there were two matches..." The doctor informed them.

"Well, who were they!" Sandra cut it before he had chance to finished.

"The two matches are Dr Green..." He glanced at Leonard before looking at Rachel. "And Miss Rachel Green..."

Rachel let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "I can be a donor?"

"Well, yes...but we have more tests to do...just to check to your healthy enough to donate the kidney."

"Oh my god, I'm a match?" She still couldn't believe it...part of her was relieved that she'll be able to help save Chandler whilst another part of her was nervous about it.

"Rachel, I don't want you to do this..." Her father said, causing her to turn and look at him.

"What?" She exclaimed. "You can't be serious?"

"There are risks to living donors..." He stated. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happened to you."

"So, you expect me to let Chandler die!" She raised her voice slightly. "When I can save him?"

"Honey, maybe you should calm down..." Ross tried to cut in but neither father nor daughter paid him any attention.

"Of course not!" Leonard told her. "I'll be the donor...I'm a match too..."

"What?"

"I want to do this..." He lowered his voice slightly. "I want to do this for Chandler..."

"He wouldn't want you to..." Rachel claimed. "He wants nothing to do with you..."

"I know that...and I don't blame him..." He hung his head. "But I want to make this up to him."

"And what if you can't?" She asked. "You think doing this will make everything is okay?"

"No but..."

"He didn't even want anyone to tell you where he was..." She continued. "He said he'd refuse to operation..."

"And you'd think he wants you to do this?" He asked. "How do you think he'd feel if something happened to you..."

"I'll be fine..."

"You don't know that!" Leonard sighed. "I might have only meet Chandler and hand full of times but I've seen the way he is with you... I've heard him talk about you...He loves you so such...He loves you because he's your big brother and would do anything to protect you...I know he'd never forgive himself if something did happen to you...But me...He doesn't give a damn about me...At least this way he'd be able to get on with his life afterwards even if something did go wrong."

Rachel just stared at him, she didn't know what to say to that. She knew it made sense but still wanted to do this for Chandler...to show him that she wasn't angry with him and wanted to protect him just as much as he wanted to protect her.

"We don't have to decided at this moment..." The doctor stepped in when they both remained silent. "Why don't we wait to see what the results of the next tests are first..."

"Fine..." Rachel sighed and Leonard reluctantly agreed.

"Okay, if you both would like to follow me, we'll get started."

_**XxXxX**_

****Once Rachel and Leonard had gone for there tests Jill and Amy decided to go home because they felt there was nothing more they could do. Like Rachel, it didn't seem real to them either...and they didn't really know Chandler but promised they'd be back later. Ross had managed to convince Joey and Phoebe to go home and get rest but Monica refused to leave and he didn't want go until Rachel was back.

By the time Rachel was done with the tests Joey and Phoebe had returned having changed into some fresh clothes and had something to eat but either could sleep.

"Hey, how did it go?" Ross asked when he saw Rachel walk in.

"I don't know..." She replied. "They said they'll let me know soon."

They had done a lot of different tests...some on her heart to make sure it was strong enough... some on her kidney to make sure they were healthy... They took more blood and asked a load of questions about her general health and her day to day diet.

"Where's your Dad?" Sandra asked.

"Haven't seen him..." She shrugged but a few minutes later he walked in.

"The doctor said he'll be in, in a minute to let us know how things went..." He told Rachel, who just nodded in reply.

Ross carefully reached other and took Rachel's hand, giving it a gently squeeze. She looked up at him and gave him a small smile.

"Sorry to keep you waiting..."The doctor walked in.

"No problem..." Rachel jumped up. "So, what are the results?"

"Well, I seem no reason why Miss Green can not be a donor..." He told them. "But we've discovered some problems with Mr Green." 

"What?" Leonard stood up. "What sort of problems."

"Nothing to really worry about..." The Doctor explained. "Just with your ages and the life style you've been living...we're a bit concerned about how much strain the operation would put on your heart."

"But i could still be the donor?" He asked. "If I wanted to be?"

"Well, it would be a risk..." He told him. "And as your a doctor yourself, you'll understand that I'll have to advise against it."

Leonard sighed frustrated. "Can't you just let it go this one time."

"I'm sorry, the final decision isn't even up to me..." He shrugged. "The surgeon would refuse to go ahead with the operation if he knew there was a chance you wouldn't make it."

"But he'd be okay if I was the donor?" Rachel asked.

"I see no reason for him not to..." He replied before hesitantly continuing. "Unless he's unhappy with Chandler's condition."

"What does that mean?" Monica questioned concerned.

"Well, like I told you before, Chandler is failing fast..." He sighed. "The surgeon may think its not worth risking the life of the donor."

"Chandler is worth it!" Joey insisted.

"Sorry, if it was up to me, I'd have you on your way to surgery now..." He said sympathetically.

"Okay, so when do we hear whether he'll get the operation or not?" Monica questioned.

"The surgeon is with Chandler now...examining him."

"Do you think he'll allow it to go ahead?" Nora asked.

"Well, he's one of our top surgeons...and I will do all I can to persuade him."

"Thank you...so much..." Nora let out a breath in relief. "For everything you've done."

He smiled warmly at them all. "You're welcome...I just hope its enough."

"So do we..." Rachel whispered.

_**XxXxX**_

****"Can I come in?" Ross poked his head around the door, smiling when he saw Rachel sat on the edge of a bed.

"Yeah sure..." She told him.

"I just wanted to come and see you before they take you down..." He moved to sit next to her. It was only 3 hours ago that they found out Rachel was a match for Chandler. After the surgeon had checked over Chandler and looked at Rachel's and Leonard's test results, he agreed to consider doing the transplant but only with Rachel as the donor. After having a long talk with her to make sure he was mentally fit to go ahead with the operation and she was aware of all the risks and what would happen, he finally agreed to go ahead. Now she was sat waiting for the nurse to come and take her down.

"So, you sure you want to do this?" He asked, taking her hand.

"Yes, I am..." She nodded without hesitation. "I know there's some risks and all but its worth it...if it makes Chandler better."

"I suppose..."

"What?" She looked at him surprised slightly by his reaction.

"No, of course I want Chandler to get better..." He said quickly, knowing what she had been thinking. "I'm worried...I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

"You're not going to lose me..." She smiled softly. "I'll be fine..."

"Yeah..." He nodded. "Yeah, I know..."

"I love you, y'know..." He told her. "And I'm so sorry about thing..."

"Forget about it...I understand why you did it..." She reached up and stroked his cheek gently. "And I love you too...so much."

They both looked when there was a knock on the door.

"Miss Green, we're ready for you now..." A nurse came in, pushing a wheel chair.

"I guess this is it..." Rachel stood up, taking a deep breath.

"Good luck..." Ross whispered, turning her around to face him and kissing her gently.

"Wow..." Rachel breathed when they pulled apart.

He smiled and tucked a piece of hair behind her hair. "I love you..."

"I love you too..." She gave him another quick kiss before turning and sitting down in the chair, still holding his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'll see you soon...I promise."

"You better..." He said, half jokingly.

She gave him one more smile before the nurse wheeled her out.

_**XxXxX**_

****"I heard he was mugged for only a few bucks..." One doctor commented to the rest of the team whilst they started to operation on Chandler, in preparation for the transplant.

"It's so sad..." Another one answered. "He's only young."

"He's lucky to have a sister who's willing to do this..."

"Yeah, he is..."

****Meanwhile in another surgery theater, doctors worked quickly to remove the kidney from Rachel whilst trying to keep her stable.

_**XxXxX**_

Monica paced around the waiting room nervously...She had never been so scared in all her life...Not only could she lose Chandler, the love of her life...She could lose Rachel to...her best friend. She looked over the others, Joey was sat with a sandwich, which he had been trying to eat for the last hour but had lost his appetite. Phoebe was sat in the corner, whispering to herself...Well, actually she was talking to her Mom...asking her to look over both Chandler and Rachel. She sighed when her eyes rested on her brother...He sat with his head bowed, ever since he had come back from talking with Rachel.

"Please, god...just let them be okay..." She whispered.

Suddenly both Monica and Ross looked up quickly...Both feeling something...Both their hearts lunging.

_**XxXxX**_

One of the machine beeped loudly as the patient flat lined, causing the doctors to snap into action...frantically trying to get their heart beating again...

**TBC**

Sorry, couldn't resist an evil cliffhanger! Please review and let me know what you think! 


	12. Tough Choice

**Hey, sorry I haven't updated in ages but here's the next chapter. Thank you all for the reviews! Please keep them coming! I love them! Anywayz! **

**Enjoy! **

**Tough Choice**

Ross paced nervously around the waiting room. It had been hours since they had taken Chandler and Rachel down to surgery and they still hadn't heard any new yet. The doctor had told them it would take a while but Ross was sure they should have heard something by now.

"Ross, come on, man….just sit down…" Joey tried for what seemed like the hundredth time but Ross still didn't stop.

Phoebe reached over and took Joey's hand, shaking her head slightly when he turned to look at her, telling him to leave Ross. Joey sighed and sunk back into the chair, he hated waiting. He was impatient most of the time anyway but waiting to see the out come of an operation that could claim the life of two of his friends' lives was driving him crazy. However he was trying his hardest to stay in his chair and keep his mouth closed, knowing that he wasn't only one worried and he wanted to stay strong for the others.

He looked up and caught Monica's eye, he gave her a small reassuring smile which she returned but he could tell it was forced. He didn't blame her though, he knew how much she cared about Chandler and also how much she meant to him. Joey had thought Chandler was acting crazy by not doing anything about his feeling for Monica, when it was obvious that she felt the same as him but now he knew about everything he had been going through the last few month, it all made sense. He also felt slightly guilty for not trying harder to find out the reason why he was acting so weird. He promised that once Chandler had recovered and everything was going back to normal, he would do everything he could to make it up to him…..He just hoped he gets the chance.

"What's taking them so long!" Ross muttered to himself but it gained everyone's attention.

"It's a big operation…it takes time…" Leonard said quietly, trying ease everyone's concerns.

"But should it be taking this long?" Ross turned looking at him.

Leonard was quiet for a moment. "I uh...I don't know."

"What if something has gone wrong..." Ross rambled.

"Don't say that!" Monica looked up at him quickly.

"Yeah, come on...we've got to stay positive..." Phoebe added.

"Look, my don't we all just sit down and try to relax..." Nora tried, taking a deep shaky breath trying to calm her own emotions. "They're both strong...they'll be fine."

"Yeah...There's nothing we can do but wait..." Joey nodded.

Ross sighed and dropped into a chair, burying his head in his hand, his lips moving in a silent pray for his best friend and girlfriend.

Another hour passed before the surgeon walked in, causing all of them jump up and rush towards them.

"How are they? Are okay?" Joey was the first to speak.

"Why don't we all take a seat and we'll discuss the operations..." The surgeon said, gesturing to the chairs.

They all shared a look before silently doing as he asked, all having the same bad feeling.

"What's happened?" Nora whispered, concerned.

"Well, first we removed the kidney from Miss Green and everything went according to plan..." He told them. "She's in recovery now."

There were a few comments of relief, their panic fading away.

"So, she's going to be okay?" Ross questioned.

"If there is not any complications over the next 24 hours she should make a full recovery..." He gave a small smile for the first he had entered the room.

"Oh thank god!" Sandra exclaimed.

"However she will need someone to look at her once she's allowed home."

"That's not a problem!" Ross grinned.

"Uh, what about Chandler..." Monica spoke, causing everyone to look at her. "How is he?"

"Ah, well...There were some complications..." The surgeon sighed.

"What sort of completions?" Joey leaned forwards, worried. They had all been relieved that Rachel was okay that they forgot about Chandler.

"Unfortunately his heart stopped during the surgery..." He explained.

"What? No!" Nora whispered, covering her mouth as tears spilled down her face.

"But...but...he's not...he's not...y'know..." Ross stuttered, not being able to say the word whilst the others couldn't speak, all feeling the worse had happened.

"No, we managed to get it restarted and continue with the operation." He assured them. "But it stopped again when we were taking him up to recovery."

"Oh my god..." Joey whispered leaning back in his chair.

"How...how is he?" Monica finally managed to say. "He's going to be okay, right?"

"He's in ICU at the moment... He's not breathing on his own."

"So, so this is really serious?" Charles choked on the words.

"I'm afraid so... The next 24 hours are critical...if he doesn't respond to the treatment then I don't think he'll ever will..." He told them softly.

"No, this can't be happening..." Nora stood up, not being able to sit still any longer.

"There must be something you could do?" Joey looked at the doctor.

"We've done all we can..." He shook his head.

"So, what...what if he does wake up or something...He'll be okay after that?" Phoebe asked hopefully.

"I wish I could tell you that but I'm afraid that when his heart stopped...his brain was deprived from blood and oxygen so there's a chance he could have some permanent damage."

"You...you mean he could have brain damage?"

"It's a possibility..." He replied.

They were all silent, no one knew what to say; they were all too deep in their own thoughts.

"If you have any more questions then just ask one of the nurses to page me but I think it's best if we leave it there until we know more on his condition."

"Uh, yeah okay..." Leonard was the one who stood up and shook his head. "Thank you doctor."

"No problem..." He said, turning and opening the door before looking back at them. "For what it's worth...I'm sorry."

"He's going to be okay..." Charles whispered to Nora, trying to comfort her and himself at the same time.

Ross looked up and saw Sandra and Leonard sat on the other side of the room, both had tears in their eyes and seemed to be effect by the news but he knew they were trying to stay out the others way and for that Ross was grateful.

Joey was holding Phoebe who was crying and a few tears fell from his own eyes but he wanted to stay strong for everyone... he knew that's what Chandler would have wanted...a smile briefly crossed his lips, realising that if Chandler was here himself, he'd probably be making some kind of joke right now.

"Mon?" Ross broke the silence, looking at his baby sister sitting, staring ahead. He moved to put his arm around her.

"I...I'm going...going for a walk..." She stuttered standing up.

"I'll come with you..." He got up to.

"No, I...I want to be alone.."

"Mon, I don't think that's a good idea..." He started.

"Please Ross...I need to be by myself..." She told him, leaving before he had chance to reply.

He still went to follow her but Joey stopped him.

"Dude, let her be..." He told him.

Ross sighed and nodded, retaking his seat.

_**XxXxX**_

Monica walked...she didn't now where to, she just went where her feet lead her. Tears were blurring her vision as she tried to keep them from falling. She stopped and stood staring at a fountain. She watched silently as a little boy, no older then 6 years old throw a penny into the water...closing his eyes tightly as he thought of a wise. When he opened them again he looked across at her and smiled shyly before running back to his parents. Monica managed a small sad smile in reply but it slowly faded once she alone again. She sat on the edge of the fountain, looking into the swallow water. Coins lined the bottom and Monica wondered how many wishes had been made and how many of those had been granted. She sighed sadly and stood up, heading back inside...Hoping that when she got back they would tell her, Chandler had made progress or that it was all some big mistake and that he was going to be okay.

_**XxXxX**_

Ross sat with both his hand clutching onto Rachel's, waiting for her to come round. The doctor had told them that she would be wake up soon but was only going to allow one person in at a time. They all agreed that Ross should be the one there when she opened her eyes.

He slowly brought her hands up to his mouth and kissed it softly, deep in thoughts wondering how he was going to tell her about Chandler. He couldn't get his head around it himself...How could his best friend be fighting for his life? A few days ago he was perfectly healthy, annoying the hell out of everyone with his jokes and sarcasm. If he couldn't get his head around it, how was Rachel meant to? She had risked her life so that he could live but it could all be pointless.

The movement of her hand in his broke him from his thoughts and looked into her face just in time to see her eyes open slightly.

"Ross..."

"Hey, honey..." He forced a smile. "How you feeling?"

"Tired..." She whispered. "How...how did...did it go...was it okay?"

He paused, thinking how to reply. "It went fine, honey...you just rest..."

"Okay..." She murmured, not being able to keep he eyes open any longer.

Ross sighed and rubbed his eyes, wiping away the tears that stubbornly refused to fall...It wasn't meant to turn out like this.

_**XxXxX**_

"So, Rach...do you feel any lighter?" Phoebe asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I mean, only having on kidney has to make a difference, right?"

Ross rolled his eyes and ignored her comment. "Honey, are you sure you're up to this."

"Ross, would you stop worrying..." She replied. "I'm fine."

"You've just had a major operation...you need to take it easy."

"Talking to my friends is not going to ware me out." She replied. "Will you relax?"

"Fine...but promise me that you'll tell us if you fell tired."

"Okay, fine..." She rolled her eyes. "So, where's Mon?"

Her three friends shared a look before Joey answered. "She sat with Chandler."

"Oh, well okay...How's he doing?"

It was the day after the operation and no one had told Rachel everything.

"He's...he's doing okay." Ross replied slowly after another glance at Joey and Phoebe.

Rachel looked between them, knowing something was wrong.

"Okay...what's going on?" She asked.

"Nothing..." Joey said quickly.

"Come on, I know it's something...is it Chandler?" She questioned. "Did he get worse?"

"Rach...just don't worry about it okay..." Ross tired.

"Ross, tell me what's happened!" She demanded.

He sighed in defeat. "Okay, the operation didn't go quite as they wanted."

She frowned concerned. "What does that mean?"

"There was a few complications..." He explained. "Apparently, his heart stopped during it."

"What?" She said feeling like she had been punched in the stomach.

''But they managed to get him back..." Phoebe added quickly.

"Thank goodness..." She breathed out. "So, he's going to be okay?"

Once again there was a silence before Ross had the courage to continue.

"Okay, the thing is... um...well... his heart didn't just stop once...it stopped again after the operation...They're think that there might be some damage done to his brain."

"His...his brain?" She stuttered. "You mean, he's going to be brain dead?"

"Maybe..." He reached over and took her hand, knowing the next part was the worse. "But...but at the moment they're worried about his reaction to the treatment."

"Why?" She asked, quietly; half of her not wanting to know the answer.

"Because...because he doesn't...doesn't seem to be responding..."

Phoebe wiped away a few stray tears, it was hard hearing it all over again. Whilst Joey looked down at his hands, biting his bottom lip, still refusing to cry.

"But...this is Chandler..." Ross said after a few moments. "I mean, he's been through so much...he's strong..."

"Ross...Tell me the truth..." She stopped him, tears lining his eyes and her voice creaked slightly. "Is...is...is he going to die?"

Tears filled his eyes, not being able to stop them when he heard the question.

"I...don't...i don't know..." He whispered, as one rolled down his cheek. "It...it's not looking good..."

Rachel stared a head, deep in thoughts...Think about everything that had happened... She couldn't let it end like this.

"Rach, what are you doing?" Ross asked concerned, watching as she tried to get out of bed.

"I've got to go and see him."

"You can't! You've just had a major operation!" He claimed.

"I don't care!" She replied. "My brother might die... I'm not just going lie here and do nothing!"

"Rach, there is nothing you can do..." Ross started but trailed off when he saw she had stopped moving. "What is it? Are you okay?"

"It's...it's just weird... Calling him my brother...I mean, it's Chandler..." She frowned slightly. "But... but it's killing me knowing that I might not actually get the chance to call him that to his face."

Ross reached over and squeezed her hand gently, realising how much she needed to see Chandler now. "I'll go and see if I can find a wheelchair or something."

"Thank you..." She whispered, watching as he left.

_**XxXxX**_

Monica turned when she heard the door opening and saw Ross pushing Rachel through the door with Joey and Phoebe just behind them.

"Rach, what are you doing here?" She asked. "Are you okay?"

"How's he doing?" She asked, not hearing Monica's questions. Her eyes just stayed Chandler, there was a wires on his chest connecting to the machines that were next to the bed. He had a tubed down his throat that was helping him breath. She didn't even notice Nora and Charles sat on Chandler's other side.

Monica looked back to Chandler, retaking his hand. "No change."

Rachel swallowed the lump that had rose in her throat and threatened to choke her. Ross moved her closer to the bed. The only sound in the room was the beeping of the machine that was keeping their friend alive.

"Why couldn't you just tell me from the start..." Rachel whispered to him, as more tears fell from her eyes. "This shouldn't have happen."

Ross placed his hand on her shoulder supportively but didn't say anything as he in between Joey and Phoebe behind her.

No one knew how long they were quiet before the doctor came in and they all watched, hoping for some good news.

"Well?" Ross asked when the doctor had finished.

He looked at them all, waiting for him to tell them everything was going to be okay.

He sighed softly. "I'm sorry but there's been no progress."

"Are you sure?" Joey asked, desperately.

"I'm sorry..." He said sadly.

"So...so what now?" Monica asked, tearfully dreading the answer.

"Now...now you have a tough decision to make..." He started. "Either we can continue this or...or you can turn off the machine."

"Turn off the machine?" Nora repeated. "You mean, let...let him die?"

"Ross." Rachel cried out scared, hoping there was something he could say or do to make everything better but he just stood, staring at the doctor trying to get his head around everything.

"No! No, I'm not letting that happen!" Joey exclaimed.

"I know this his hard but the chances of Chandler making any kind of survival are very small..." The doctor explained. "Maybe you should take the chance now to say goodbye and let him go peacefully..."

"This...this isn't right..." Phoebe said through her tears.

"I'll let you discuss it..." He said softly, turning to leave. "Have a nurse page me if you need anything...and for what its worth I'm sorry."

**TBC**

**Please review and let me know what you think! **


	13. Setting Him Free

**Thanks for the all the reviews! Keep them coming! **

**Enjoy! **

**Setting Him Free. **

"He wouldn't like this..." Ross said, breaking the silence. It had been an hour ago since the doctor had left them all stood around Chandler's bedside, battling with a decision that no one wanted to make. "He wouldn't like to trapped in his own body like this..."

"You...you think we should let him go?" Phoebe questioned.

"No... I just...I don't know what to think..." He sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. "Chandler always seemed to have loads of energy...It's weird seeing him like this."

"I know...He'd be making some kind of joke now, trying to lighten the mood..." Phoebe said but the comment caused her to break down again.

Joey put a comforting arm around her and she leaned up against him.

"What do you want to do?" Ross said to Nora and Charles after a few minutes of silence.

They shared a look, neither of them wanted to decided.

"I uh...I don't know." Nora whispered, her eyes falling on her son again.

"I guess the final decision if up to you guys..." He added.

"What?" Charles frowned slightly.

"You're his parents... if you two disagreed with us then the doctors would do what you wanted."

"I...I didn't even think about that." Nora said, quietly.

"So, our opinions doesn't matter!" Joey replied.

"I didn't say that Joe..." Ross sighed.

"Yes you did!" He argued.

"Well, it didn't mean it like that then..." He replied, wishing he hadn't said it...he was thinking out loud.

"Anyway, you'd probably know more about Chandler's wishes then me..." Nora added.

"He wouldn't want to die!" Joey claimed.

"Did he actually tell you that?" Rachel asked, speaking for the first time.

Joey turned to look at her. "No but no one wants to die! Especially not Chandler!"

"So, he never talked to you about this?" Rachel turned to him. "He never told you what he would want?"

"No! He's young! Its obvious!" He insisted.

"Is it?" Rachel replied. "I know I wouldn't want to live like this."

"Well, this isn't you, is it!" Joey raised his voice slightly, angry that his friends were even considering it. "This is Chandler! He has so many things that he wants to do!"

"And what if he can't those things?" Rachel replied, in the same tone. "What if he's to ill? Do you really think he wants us to see him like that! Do you really think he would want to be totally dependent on us?"

"What the hell is it with you!" Joey snapped.

"Okay, guys this is getting out of hand." Phoebe stood up. "Joe, lets go cool off."

"No! I want to know she's so keen for him to die!"

"Okay Joey enough!" Ross stepped in between him and Rachel.

"I don't want him to die!"

"Then why are you pushing this?" Joey ranted. "Why don't you believe that he'll wake up and everything will be okay!"

"Because this is life, Joe!" She snapped. "This is an episode of your stupid soap opera! This is serious and no matter how hard or horrible it is we got to figure out what Chandler would want!"

"Are you sure, you just don't want to share Daddy's inheritance."

The room feel silent and everyone stared at Joey, shocked by what he just said.

"How can you say that to me?" Rachel whispered, tears pooling in her eyes.

"I'm not letting this happen." He swallowed the lump that had rose in his throat. "I'm not letting you guys kill my best friend!"

No one said anything or stopped him when he turned and left the room.

"Rach, he didn't mean that..." Ross whispered, knelling next to her wheelchair.

"Yeah, he's just upset." Phoebe said, softly.

"I...I want to go back to my room." She whispered.

Ross glanced up at Phoebe helplessly before looking back at his girlfriend.

"Can I come with you?" He asked.

She just nodded, not trusting herself to speak in fear of breaking down.

"I'll see you guys later..." Ross said, leaning over and kissing Monica's cheek before doing the same with Phoebe. He looked down at Chandler, reaching out and squeezing his hand gently. "Stay strong, Man."

"Come find us if there's any news..." Rachel said as Ross pushed her out the room.

"Yeah, of course..." Phoebe replied. "See you soon."

"I think...I think I'll go for a walk..." Nora stood up. "Get some fresh air."

"Would you like some company?" Charles offered, standing up.

Nora thought about it for a moment before smiling slightly. "Yeah, thank you."

He returned her smile before they silently left.

"God, I best Chandler will wish he was here to witness his parents actually getting along." Phoebe quipped but Monica didn't reply. "Are you okay? I mean, of course you're not 'okay' but...i mean... you've haven't really said much..."

"That's not a lot to say." She whispered.

"Well, I just thought...that if Chandler had talked to anyone about this then it would be you." She said slowly, watching her.

"He did." Her voice creaked slightly with emotion.

"What?" Phoebe looked at her surprised. "Why didn't you say something​?"

"Because of what he said..." She turned to look at Phoebe. "He said he would want the machine turned off."

"Oh." Was all that Phoebe could say, looking down at Chandler.

"Joey was right, Pheebs...how can't do it to him? How can we let Chandler die?" She cried.

"Oh Mon..." She moved around to her wrapping her arms around her. "I know it will be hard...but...if its what Chandler would want...then...then we got to the tell others."

"I know..." She whispered. "But its not right. I don't want him to die."

"Me either..." She replied, tears falling from her eyes. "But...but don't think of it as him dying...think of it as setting him free."

_**XxXxX**_

Joey walked around the hospital, not really sure where he was going; he wasn't even really paying attention. His anger had started to fade away and he was feeling a bit calmer. He felt guilty about how he spoke to Rachel. He didn't really think that she actually felt like that he was just angry and upset that his best friend was slipping away and there was nothing he could do about it. He just wanted things to go back to normal. He didn't want to lose Chandler. He was his room-mate, his best friend, his brother. He was the only person that Joey could talk to about anything...he the one who helped him with his career.

He stopped and looked around and saw he was outside Rachel's room, he looked in and saw she was sat in Ross' arms crying. He sighed, knowing it was probably because of what he said.

He knocked quietly on the door before opening it. Both Rachel and Ross looked up at him.

"Joe, if you came here for another fight you can leave now." Ross told him.

"I didn't...I came to apologise." He told them. "Rachel, I'm so sorry... I didn't mean what I said... I don't know what came over me."

"You really hurt me, Joe..." She whispered. "I'd never want Chandler to die. Why would I go through all this if I did?"

"I know, Rach...I'm sorry." He replied. "I just feel so helpless and was looking for someone to blame. I'll understand if you hate me."

Rachel sighed. "I don't hate you Joe... I hate what you said... but I understand."

"Really?" He asked, looking up. "So we're okay?"

"Yeah..." She nodded, before tears filling her eyes again. "It's good, because I think we're all going to need each other."

Before anyone could reply there was another knock on the door before Monica and Phoebe walked in, followed by Mr and Mrs Bing.

"Oh good, you're all here." Phoebe said, seeing Joey there.

"Why?" Joey said concerned. "Has something happened?"

"No...but...but there's something that I need to tell you." Monica said quietly.

"What?" Ross frowned, looking around at the others seeing that everyone except Monica and Phoebe looked confused.

"Something...something Chandler said to me..." She replied. "We...we talked about what we would want...if...if something like this happened."

"Well?" Nora prompted but now sure whether she really wanted to know. "What did he say."

Monica bite her lip, trying to stop herself from crying but it was no good. "He...he...said he wouldn't want to kept alive by a machine... He said he would want to go peacefully."

Rachel brought her hand to her mouth as tears fell from her eyes. Nora collapsed up against Charles and he just stood supporting her, staring ahead. Joey's mind started to race, wondering if there was anything to do or say to change anything and Ross' legs went from under him as he dropped into a chair. They had all thought about it... What they would do if it came to this...But deep down they all thought it would never get this far...that somehow things would work out okay. This changed everything though. They had to respect Chandler's wishes...they had to let him go.

"Are...are you sure he said that?" Rachel asked.

Monica nodded, before laughing slightly. "I thought he was joking around at first...we had been watching the a movie about some guy who had to do it for his wife. He joked that I'd be the only one he'd trust to actually do it... he said one of you would probably chicken out...So I said, I'd be happy to do it...at least I wouldn't have to listen to his jokes again...I thought he was messing around." Her voice trailed off. She looked up at them all waiting for her continue. "We...we then sat down and talked about it seriously...He said he wasn't really scared of dying... he didn't want to hurt anyone but said he would hate not being able to do anything for himself."

"Then...that's what we have to do." Joey whispered, causing everyone to look at him surprised.

"Yeah..." Ross nodded quietly.

"Does...does everyone agree?" Nora asked in a shaky voice.

They all nodded, no one spoke...no one need to speak... they all just thought about Chandler...about the past they shared with him and a future without him.

**TBC**

**Please review and let me know what you think.**


	14. Goodbye

-1**I hope you like this, please let me know by reviewing. **

**Enjoy!!!**

**Goodbye**

The decision has been made, we had all agreed on it but now that the time was getting closer to going through with it…we were all starting to doubt our choice. How could we not….it's Chandler lying there. We've all be standing here in silence, just watching over him…. We're all praying that there will be a movement or something so that we won't have to actually go ahead with our plans. I turn my attention to my other friends, I suddenly start to feel insufficient. I've known Chandler for a few years now and we have become good friends but the others all have these amazing connections. Ross was his college roommate, Joey's is roommate now…he's become like a brother to them both….he actually is Rachel's brother, even though she had no time to really get to know him…And Monica…well…Monica was his soul mate.

Although, Chandler and I have never shared anything like he has with the others, I always thoughts we shared a lot in common. Particularly our childhood; both of us feeling abandoned by our parents…We both try to hide our true feelings…him with humour…me by believing in fate and that everything happens for a reason…but no matter how hard I try, I can't work out a reason for why this has happened.

** _It's time to say goodbye_**

_** It's time to let you go**_

_** My head is spinning with memories **_

_** Trying to remember the good times**_

_** Praying you'll be happy **_

_** Praying the rest of us will be fine.**_

_Beep, Beep, Beep…_I can't stand it, I can't stand the beeping…ironically that machine is the only thing that keeping Chandler alive. I look down at him, trying to work out what he's feeling or thinking…..I wonder whether he's letting himself go or whether he's fighting. It's hard to accept that the only thing left of my best friend is his lifeless body and one beeping machine.

I'm not the kind of person who believes in miracles. Being a scientist, I was taught to believe that everything happens because of the things we do ourselves but I'd do anything for a miracle now. Our lives will never be the same without him there… I've known him since college, it would be weird not hearing one of his jokes or see him do that stupid dance everyday. Besides, I don't know whether any of us will ever be able to over this… Phoebe's already had so many people she cares about die… Joey counts on him, they're best friends, they live together… how can he go back into that empty apartment, how can any of us… And Rachel… she's only just find out he's her brother. Then there's Monica, she's so in love with him.. But she never had the chance to be with him. I love them all, I need to be strong for them…to help them through this but I don't think I can… I don't think I can get through it myself… how can I help them?

**_Life will never be the same again after your gone_**

_** How will we carry on without you smile, your charm **_

_**Tell me why this had to happen **_

_**You were young, strong and loved **_

_**You had thing to do, dreams to achieve, the world to see**_

My best friends, my best buddy. I never saw this coming. I knew there was a chance that it might happen, but I didn't actually think it would. I thought that he would always be here and I know that this isn't his choice but its so unfair. Why did it have to happen to him. He's been so much crap in his life, he doesn't deserve this. He deserves to have some happiness for once. He deserves to able to get to know his sisters properly…to have a real relationship with Monica….he deserves to grow old.

My eyes won't leave his face, he looks peaceful and it actually makes me feel calmer….at least he's not in any pain. I'm trying to think what he would be saying if he was stood here. He always had this way of somehow lightening the atmosphere whether it's a joke or a dance or by doing something stupid. I wish knew how to do that, I wish I had that talent….I wish I was a little more like him.

_** Life can be so unfair**_

_** how you were taken from us is cruel**_

_** You were the one that made us laugh, made smile **_

_** We'll always have the memories**_

_** But they can never compare to you**_

It started as a crush which he didn't return but then we were both still kids, both us still immature. It wasn't until he lived across the hall that we become proper friends. Before that we were only friend because of Ross and then later Kip but when Phoebe moved out and Kip and me broke up that we actually got to know each other….That's when I first fell in love with him.

But I told him late. I think he knew all the time and I think he felt the same way but I should have said something earlier. Now I'm never going to get to be with him…I'm never going to go to sleep in his arms at night or wake up with him in the morning. We'll never have a wedding or kids. I just know that he's my great love and that there's no one else in the world that's going to come close to him and I just let him slip away because I was too scared to say something sooner. I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself for that.

_** My love for you is so strong and it'll never fade**_

_**I'll never experience a love like this again **_

_** For you're my love, my life, my world. **_

_** I'll never forget you, I'll love you always**_

_** My love, soul mate, my friend. **_

I hate him, I hate him, I hate him….I don't hate him…I love him. Why did it have to be like this. I know that he never asked for this sort of life… being rejected by his parents, passed off to another family. I'm pretty certain that he never expected me to turn out to be his sister and I can't really blame him for freaking out but why didn't he just tell me. I wouldn't have been angry with him…maybe at first I would have been shocked but I always wanted a brother. I can actually imagine what kind of brother he would be. Protective in a goofy sort of way. He'd be the one that would try and cheer me up but end up annoying me even more.

I'd do anything to go back in and time and change the way things turned out. I hate thinking that he felt like he didn't belong because he did. He belonged with the five of us. None of us exactly had the perfect childhood or the perfect families and we all preferred to send thanksgiving and Christmas together because we've become on big family. It's never going to be the same again. No matter how hard we try. No matter how many years past. I don't think that there is one of us that will be able to get over this….I know I won't… I don't think I want to.

**_I thought you knew you well _**

_** But know I see I didn't**_

_** I wish I could change that now**_

_**I don't blame, I don't hate you, **_

_** I love you, I hope you know. **_

The doctor walks towards the bed, everyone in the room watching him carefully, knowing what he was doing. He glanced up at them, seeing whether anyone has any last minute concerns but no one spoke. As he reached for a switch everything turned into slowly motion. All of a sudden the only sound in the room is the sound of cries.

_**Life will never be the same again**_

_** How can we go on when you're not around **_

_** You were such a big part of lives **_

_** But got to let you go, let you move on**_

_** So one last time we got to say to you**_

_** Goodbye**_

**The door closed quietly behind them and all that was left was silence.**

**The End**

**Please review and let me know what you think. **


	15. Epilogue

**Hey, someone said about doing an Epilogue to see how the gang copes so here it is. Hope you like it. Please review and let me know what you think. **

**Enjoy!!!**

Epilogue 

I stand silently in the corner of the room, looking around at everyone there. Monica, Joey and Phoebe stood quietly by the bar. My parents and sisters stood in the corner opposite me, talking to Mr and Mrs Geller and Ross is talking to Mr and Mrs Bing. There's a few other people in the room that I recognise, Gunther and a few people from Chandler's work. We're all here for the same reason. It's been exactly a year since Chandler had died.

The first few months were the hardest time of my life…it was for all of us. I spent the most of my time thinking back to my childhood, trying to image what it would have been like to have a brother growing up. That made me even more depressed. I started to isolate myself from everyone, including Ross. Everyone else seemed to be slowly getting their lives back on track but I couldn't…I couldn't stop thinking about him. Wondering whether if I had known the truth, would he still be here?

I remember one night, I come home and found Monica all dressed up and when I asked her where she was going and she told she had a date, I went crazy. How can she be dating? She was meant to love Chandler. He was meant to be her soul mate and she was going out with some other guy? It felt like she was cheating on my brother. When I told her that, she burst into tears and locked herself in her room for the rest of the night. I felt guilty, I knew Chandler wouldn't have wanted us all be miserable and depressed because of him but I couldn't help it.

Then it was about three months ago, when Mrs Bing turned up with a letter she had received and suggested I'd read it. It was from Michael Thompson, he was a 19 year old homeless drug addict. He was the one that mugged Chandler that night. He was serving a jail sentence for manslaughter. He claimed that he hadn't meant to use the knife, it was just meant to scare people but when he saw Ross running towards him, he tried to push Chandler away, accidentally stabbing him. He wrote the letter to tell them all how sorry he was and how he never meant to do it.

At first, I hated him. He was so desperate for drugs that he killed someone for three dollars. I kept thinking about why it had to be Chandler. Why did Thompson have to see Chandler and not someone else. Reading the letter made my head spin with all sort of different thoughts and I knew my friends and family were starting to worry about me. I didn't go to work or go out, all I did was stay in my apartment, thinking about everything.

Then one day, I woke and suddenly had an idea. I needed to do something to stop this from happening to someone else. I didn't know how but I knew I had to do something. I knew that would be what chandler would have wanted. He wouldn't want me to sit around doing nothing all day. He'd want me to get on with my life, be happy again.

So that why we're all here today. We're holding a memorable dinner in the memory of Chandler. Friends and family had brought tickets for the meal, which was being held in the restaurant that Monica worked in and they agreed to do it without charge. With the help of the guys, my family, Mr and Mrs Bing and few other people we've managed to open a shelter in Chandler's name, where people can come if they have no where to go. There's also some councillors for those who need help with any additions or problems they have. I realise that isn't going to bring Chandler back but I think he would be proud of us for doing this.

"Hey, you okay?" Ross asks and I look up to see Joey, Phoebe and Monica with him.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I reply "Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Just all of this…" I smile slightly looking around at all the people there.

"Hey, its good to see you smiling."

"Yeah, well I just think that Chandler would be proud of us."

"Me too." Monica nods.

"Yeah, he'd love this…" Phoebe adds. "Everyone stood around telling funny stories, laughing and having a good time."

"Yeah and I think that's what he'd like us to be like all the time," Ross says and I know he's looking at him.

"Rach, we all miss him." Joey says, placing a hand on my arm causing me to look up. "Every time Baywatch or die hard is on…or whenever I'm playing foosball I think about him."

"Me too whenever we're at a hockey game, I think he should be with us." Ross tells us. "When I look at Ben, I think about how he's going to grow up without his Uncle."

"The thing is Rach, we all miss him and we'll always will but we need to get on with our lives." Monica add. "I know it's really hard to do… there are days when I wish he was here, just to hold me and tell me thing is going to be okay."

"I know…" I nod slowly, realising that I'm not alone in this.

"Beside, he's still here." Phoebe says casually.

"What?" Ross turns to look at her.

"Yeah, whenever we're in the coffee house or the apartment….he's there…" She shrugs. "Just hanging out."

I can see Ross going to reply but I reach out and take his hand, squeezing it gently.

"Thanks, Pheebs that helps a lot." I say softly.

"No problem!"

"Guys, I think the food is about to be served," Monica tells us.

"Yes!" Joey exclaim, walking over the table.

I laugh slightly watching as they follow him.

"You sure you're okay?" Ross asks quietly.

"Yeah, I think I will be." I reply. "I'm just glad everything hasn't changed.

He smiles slightly and kisses me cheek before leading me over the table to where our friends are and I silently pray that in some form Chandler's there too.

**The End**

**That's it, that's the end. Kind of sad but please review and let me know what you think. **


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